








v \> 















o u 




^ v* N - • 



,Oo. 









%$ 









^ 









* 



> H 









vv ,p 



.<> 



^> 



■ V 






^ >, 



£ ^ ' B « 



.0 



=%> 






<?. 



^ 



% v^ 


















\ v ^* 









* o 



%^ . 



V * 



V 



V ^ 










U 






o 






<$> 



'*o N 



^ 



0* 









•*> 






vV 






A\' 















; o 



\> l '-P 






V 



V 



S 












^;i 















< 









^ < ^ 



x ^. 



^ 






'X- 



* «■■ 



*£». C> 















- 



«.' 



V 






o 1 



■Jo 



V 
^ 















\ ^. 



1 k 






*. 






sj5 ^ 



X ^, 



V 

V 















^ 

•^ 















O 









*b X> 










\ 













&) 









Uncle Sam's 



Letters 



on 



Phrenology 



To His Millions of Friends 
in America 



at 




TIME 

The glad young son of each new day, 
Not sad old age with weak decay. 

— See page 75. 



Copyright, by FOWLER & WELLS CO., 1896 



UNCLE SAM'S LETTERS 



ON 



PHEENOLOGT 



TO 



HIS MILLIONS OF FRIENDS IN AMERICA 



REVISED WITH INTRODUCTION 



BY 



NELSON SIZER 



AUG ^96 



NEW YORK ^ 



»-.-»-» 



FOWLER & WELLS COMPANY 

27 East 21st Street 



LONDON 

L. N. FOWLER & CO. 

1896 



T^ 






copyright, 1896 
Fowler & Wells Company 



TROW DIRECTORY 

PRIKTIN3 AND BCOKEIX0I1G COVPAMY 

KEW YORK 



PKEFACE. 

The letters of " Uncle Sam " were written by a Presby- 
terian minister who was a graduate of Amherst College 
and a classmate of Henry Ward Beecher and 0. S. Fowler. 

Two years before their graduation, Dr. Spurzheim had 
visited America, delivered a few courses of lectures on 
Phrenology, which had awakened great attention, when he 
succumbed to overwork and the severity of our climate, 
and was laid tenderly to rest by the best thinkers of Bos- 
ton; and his was the first body placed in their new and 
beautiful " city of the dead," Mt. Auburn. 

This early loss of the great teacher of the new science 
awakened a profound and melancholy interest in the 
subject. 

Geology was then unwelcome and doubtfully and timidly 
discussed. Phrenology, also, while it excited wonder among 
scholarly men and was accepted by some, was honestly 
opposed and ridiculed by others. 

These questions were asked as if the asking also answered 
them forever: " If the earth with its varied strata of rocks 
and coal formations must be, perhaps, millions of years old 
what becomes of the account of the six davs' creation? " or 
x If the mental powers and varied character of mankind 
are influenced by the size, form, and quality of the brain, 
what becomes of free moral agency and human responsi- 
bility; what is left to us but rank fatalism ? " 

The advocates of these new subjects were opposed, cen- 
sured, and ridiculed. Some colleges were ready to take 
sides against either. Amherst instituted a discussion, and 
the opponents selected their brightest and wittiest student, 
Henry Ward Beecher, to debate against Phrenology and 



IV PREFACE 

ridicule it into oblivion. With sturdy common sense, he 
wisely sent to Boston for the works of Spurzheim and 
Combe, from which to learn the framework of the errors 
which he was expected to demolish. He read his books, 
appreciated the merits of the subject and made his ablest 
speech, up to that date (1833-34), not against, but in favor 
of, Phrenology. 

After this victory in the debate, Mr. Beecher offered 
the perusal of his phrenological books to his friends, 0. S. 
and L. N. Fowler, who had manifested absorbing interest 
in the subject; and they gladly embraced the opportunity, 
and from that day the names of Fowler and Phrenology 
were wedded forever. 

The seed sown in Beecher's mind fell into " good ground, 
and bore fruit a hundred-fold; " and in the noon-day of 
his power he wrote: 

" All my life long I have been in the habit of using 
phrenology as that which solves the practical phenomena 
of life. I regard it as far more useful, practical, and sen- 
sible than any other system of mental philosophy which 
has yet been evolved. Certainly Phrenology has introduced 
mental philosophy to the common people." 

Henry Ward Beecher." 

Since 1834, Geology and Genesis have been read and 
are received with a wider understanding of earth and its 
laws; and Phrenology is also accepted by thousands of 
theologians as part of the law of the mental universe. This 
is indeed a century of marvellous progress. 

The author of " Uncle Sam's Letters " derived his in- 
terest in Phrenology in those early days at Amherst Col- 
lege; and seven years of study and mingling with the world, 
especially in the city of Washington, culminated in this 
tribute to Phrenology. 

His references to people and affairs of more than half a 
century ago are intensely real to us who lived at that time 
and shared in the struggle which the advocates of Phrenol- 






publisher's notice V 

ogy were called upon to make in order to stem the tide of 
prejudice against the richest reform this century has known. 
Then the telegraph, the photograph and phonograph, the 
sewing-machine, the typewriter, electric motors and other 
electric results, the science of anaesthetics in antiseptic and 
painless surgery, bacteriology, food-canning, and a thou- 
sand other valuable inventions, now so useful and indis- 
pensable, were at that time unknown. These imperishable 
milestones of human progress in useful knowledge enrich 
life and make it worth the living. 

The style of our author and his method of presenting 
the subject, then new, has an elastic and easy form of state- 
ment which invites interest and awakens confidence. 

We trust this new generation will follow and be prepared 
by these pages to enjoy the perusal of the more extended 
and critical works of to-day. 

Nelson Stzer. 

New York, July 4, 1896. 



PUBLISHEKS' NOTICE. 

This work, as originally written, was published by 
Messrs. Harper & Brothers, in 1842. The stereotype plates 
of the book were unfortunately destroyed in the great fire 
which occurred several years later in the Franklin Square 
establishment, and the pages were never reproduced. It 
is too good to be lost; and after careful revision, and, as 
we think, some valuable additions, it is now presented to 
our readers in a new dress. 

Fowler & Wells Co. 

New York, 1896. 




NUMBERING AND DEFINITION OF THE ORGANS. 



1. Amativeness, Love between the sexes. 
A. Conjugality, Matrimony— love of one. 

2. Parental Love, regard for children and pets. 

3. Friendship, Adhesiveness— sociability. 

4. Inhabitiveness, Love of home. 

5. Continuity, One thing at a time. 
E. Vitativeness, Love of life. 

6. Combativeness, Resistance— defense. 

7. Destructiveness, Executiveness— force. 

8. Alimentiveness, Appetite— hunger. 

9. Acquisitiveness, Accumulation. 

10. Secretiveness, Policy— management. 

11. Cautiousness, Prudence— provision. 

12. Approbativeness, Ambition— display. 

13. Self-esteem, Self-respect— dignity. 

14. Firmness, Decision— perseverance. 

15. Conscientiousness, Justice, equity. 

16. Hope, Expectation— enterprise. 

17. Spirituality, Intuition -faith— credulity. 

18. Veneration. Devotion— respect. 

19. Benevolence, Kindness— goodness. 



20. Constructiveness, Mechanical ingenuity. 

21. Ideality, Refinement— taste— purity. 

B. Sublimity, Love of grandeur— infinitude. 

22. Imitation, Copying— patterning. 

23. Mirthfulness. Jocoseness— wit— fun. 

24. Individuality, Observation— desire to see. 

25. Form, Recollection of shape. 

26. Size, Measuring by the eye. 

27. Weight, Balancing— climbing. 

28. Color, Judgment of colors. 

29. Order, Method— system— arrangement. 

30. Calculation, Mental arithmetic. 

31. Locality, Recollection of places. 
82. Eventuality. Memory of facts. 

33. Time, Cognizance of duration. 

34. Tune. Sense of harmony and melody. 

35. Language, Expression of ideas. 

36. Causality, Applying causes to effect. 

37. Comparison, Induction — illustration. 

C. Human Nature, Perception of motive*. 

D. Agreeableness, Pleasantness— suavity. 



CONTENTS 



LETTER 




PAGE 




Preface, «, 


iii 




Phrenological Head, 


vi 


I. 


Salutatory and Introductory, . . '. 


9 


II. 


Way and Manner, ....... 


10 


III. 


The Why and Wherefore of Our Writing-, 


11 


IV. 


The Whence and What of Phrenology, 


18 


V. 


How Phrenology Gets Along Here, . 


21 


VI. 


Beginning to Begin, ... . . 


24 


VII. 


Pairing : and the Half of a Story, . 


27 


VIII. 


Parentage : and the Other Half of that Story, 


33 


IX. 


Home, ......... 


. 37 


X. 


Surrounding Affections, ..... 


. 39 


XI. 


Dear Ones Defended. Nature Subdued, . 


. 40 


XII. 


Breakfast, Dinner, and Supper, .... 


. 42 


XIII. 


Tool-Tact, . 


44 


XIV. 


The Getter, ........ 


. 45 


XV. 


Take Care, , ..... 


. 47 


XVI. 


Keep Close, . . . . . 


49 


XVII. 


I Myself, 


. 51 


XVIII. 


A Sort of Self-Regulator, 


. 53 


XIX. 


The Dictator of Duty, . . . . . 


. 55 


XX. 


The Pillar of Strength, . 


. 5£ 


XXI. 


The Individualize^ ...... 


. 62 


XXII. 


A File of Fine Fellows, 


. 63 


XXIII. 


Order, There, Order! 


. 66 


XXIV. 


• 

The Accountant, . 


. 68 


XXV. 


The Register of Deeds, ...... 


. 70 



Vlll 



CONTENTS 



LETTER 

XXVI. Whither and Where, 

XXVII. The Timepiece, 

XXVIII. Musical, . . . 

XXIX. The Master of Sports, 

XXX. A Bird's Eye View, 

XXXI. A Sharp One, 

XXXII. Whence and Why, . 

XXXIII. The Greatest of the Graces, 

XXXIV. Respect. Worship, 
X:XXV. One Like Another, . 

XXXVI. Belief -Faith. 

XXXVII. A Cheerer, 

XXXVIII. Language, 

•XXXIX. Onward, Still Onward, Evermore, 

XL. Reasons Why Phrenology Is True, 

XLI. Size of the Head- Our Great Men, 

XLII. Fat, Blood, Fibre, Nerve, Temperament, 

XLIII. Something New, 

XLIV. Advantages of Phrenology.— Conclusion, 



P.'GE 

72 

74 

76 

77 

78 

82 

84 

90 

94 

96 

98 

102 

108 

106 

114 

118 

122 

127 

137 



APPENDIX, Magnetic and Phrenological Discoveries, 



141 



UNCLE SAM'S LETTERS 

LETTEE I. 

SALUTATOKY AND INTRODUCTORY. 

City of Washington, Jan. 1, lSJf.2. 
Dear Friends, 

You know Uncle Sam — at least you know about him. 
His name is often on the lip, and sometimes in print. Well, 
he now introduces himself in the literary and epistolary 
way. He salutes you with the compliments of the season. 
A happy New Year to you all. Yea, this over and over 
again, and happier and happier to you and your posterity, 
as long as the continent shall keep above the seas, and out 
of the fire, and fit to live upon. A long and a strong wish 
this, so that it may be sound and suitable, however late in 
the year it may reach you. It will do, indeed, to be painted 
under the spread and speeding wing of Time, fresh and fit 
for all the eyes he shall fly over in this quarter of his course. 

But, good friends, this New Year's greeting is not merely 
complimentary and formal. Uncle Sam's heart — his whole 
soul, in fact — is in it, as he will now prove, as fast as thought 
and feeling can fall into shape upon paper. In truth, this 
letter is the first of a series, whose special object is to effect 
somewhat towards bringing to pass that happier and hap- 
pier which he would invoke as your lot. Wishers, hopers, 
and prayer-makers in behalf of others must be workers for 
them in a world where benevolence should be something 
more than breath from between the lips. Business as well 
as bosom characters are wanted. 

To business, then, at once, as considerable is to be done 



10 UNCLE SAM'S LETTEKS 

to get fairly under way in this happif ying enterprise. Im- 
portant explanations are to be made, and outworks to be 
adjusted, together with the settling of some tittles and iotas 
about the plan. 

The first preliminary is this: The mode_of expression by 
which Uncle Sam proposes to get out of himself and into 
the presence of his readers. He has thus far' spoken in 
the third person. This is not a natural and easy method 
of communication, as must be perceived. But he does not 
like to be represented by that pronominal word of one 
straight and stiff capital — I. It seems solitary and cold 
to be pinched up and perpendicularized in this way, al- 
though it is but in idea. The first person plural is there- 
fore preferred. This has more body to it, and indeed heart, 
for there is an air of fellowship, and of the free and easy 
about the term, more comfortable to him speaking, and 
probably to them spoken to. He will therefore venture 
formally to announce himself as — we. 

But this epistle is already long enough for a salutatory 
and introductory, so we close it, assuring you, dear friends, 
that with all our nominal and pronominal multiplicity, 
we are, as affectionately as possible, the one 

Uncle Sam. 

LETTER II. 

WAY AND MANNEK. 

We like not useless formalities; therefore, as our letters 
are all to be printed and go in a bunch, we now omit place, 
date, and address at the top, and also signature at bottom. 
We think of convenience, however, so we number each, and 
put down a word or two signifying its particular topic, as 
is customary with epistolary communications done up in 
this way. 

The next consideration is our style. This is our own, 
and nobody else's, as we think will plainly appear. " Our 
style will resemble that of spontaneous conversation, 



WAT AND MANNER 11 

changeable as the spirit, and not to be calculated on. 
Sometimes, very likely most often, our mirthful disposi- 
tion will predominate, and we shall be as playful, even on 
a great topic, as a kitten on a new carpet. Then we may 
be more grave, as gravity shall be absolutely needed, or it 
shall suit our frame of mind. 

Now and then it is possible that we shall be quite rhetori- 
cal, mounting up, and curling this way and that, like fog- 
in the morning. We cannot promise auroral tinges on our 
vapor. Then again, we shall become as flat and as tame 
as sand at the river side. We shall venture now and then to 
roll into a sentence a strangely compounded word, which 
would make one, or, at least, now does make one, think 
of a block of pudding-stone cumbering the ground. Then, 
right along after, we have three or four little loose words, 
all out of proportion, that will be like sharp-cornered gravel- 
stones to tender foot of thin-slippered critic. We may be 
thought by some nice people to sink occasionally as low as 
mud, by what they would call an expression of vulgar 
mould. But in defence, if such be needed, we would sug- 
gest, that popular phraseologies have an easiness of in-fit, 
and an adhesiveness for staying fit and fast to the common 
reader's capacity. Or, rather, peculiar expressions, caught 
from the living and everyday tongue, are like good strong 
cement, by which the literary fabric is solidly compacted, 
and built into the understanding and memory to remain 
forever. Finally, as we find our own materials, we must be 
permitted to manage them in our own way. As we can 
be nobody else, we shall try to be ourself . 



LETTER III. 

THE WHY AND WHEREFORE OF OUR WRITING. 

The title-page goes like a superscribed wrapper on our 
epistles, directed to you, and indicating what is underneath. 
You perceive, thereby, our object is to recommend a com- 









12 UNCLE SAM'S LETTERS 

paratively new science to your attention. We propose in 
this letter to detail the particular circumstances which 
prompted to the undertaking. We would, if possible, in- 
spire the reader with feelings similar to our own in respect 
to many existing evils in society, and then be will be more 
likely to enter with interest into our peculiar mode of re- 
moving them. We hope so to excite his benevolence and 
patriotism that he will be glad to go along with us, and see 
whether there be any truth in Phrenology, and if the de- 
sired good can come from it. 

Please now to go back with us in idea to the Fourth of 
July last. The one sentiment was, " Glorious day, and In- 
dependence forever! " Gun, drum, trumpet, toast, and 
hurrah, sent forth the annual boast of the nation, that it 
was the most free, enlightened, virtuous, and happy on 
earth. We felt as mighty as the wind shaking ten thousand 
banners, and as magnificent as morning admiring its own 
image in all the waters. But, alas! our swell went sadly 
down, our mightiness felt small, and our magnificence 
grew quite dim before night. Oh, what sights did we behold 
on that anniversary! This was the cause of our dejection. 
Similar spectacles we had beheld on other days, and in- 
numerable times before, but they never affected us so deeply 
as now. It might have been because the new moral impulses 
of the age had quickened our conscience. 

Our nature is peculiar, sui generis, as you are aware, and 
so, of course, are our optics. They exercise that cort of eye- 
sight termed the ideal. By this, though our central spot 
and grand observatory are at the capital, we can look the 
land through as easily as Science can see through its tele- 
scope. 

We will now put down some single cases, the like of which 
we observed by the thousand; also some local and individual 
spectacles, together with general conditions of things 
through the country, which, under better mental condi- 
tions, might be greatly improved. 

On the aforesaid anniversar}^, we were first pained by a 
glimpse of a certain husband and wife. We could not help 



THE WHY AND WHEREFORE 13 

hearing, likewise, unless we had stopped our sense on pur- 
pose. They were scolding and snapping at each other. It 
seemed as if wedlock was a purgatory of punishment for 
the folly of not knowing each other better before they 
married. 

Then we observed a family of children, the oldest more 
than half grown up, who could not read the word rags which 
was the name of their dress, nor even ABC. The father 
was somewhat similarly clad, and fully as illiterate. He 
was swearing like a fiend at his second son because he had 
been gone so long to get " that jug " filled. He had been 
waiting ten minutes for his first morning dram. The wife 
looked as if her ear was so accustomed to swearing, that 
she thought no more of it than of the old floor's creaking 
under the swearer's tread. 

We next noticed a schoolroom: this was empty, however, 
as it was a holiday; but it set us to contemplating the im- 
perfect condition of education the country through. We 
saw a million of the young, boxed up six hours in a day, 
in bad air, too, perhaps, to learn not much more than words, 
and a large portion of them words conveying no more 
sense to the learner than this morning's cannon-sounds 
conveyed sense to their echoes. Here is the great school- 
house of nature, full of things, with life and without it, 
and all arranged in an order better than spelling-books 
and dictionaries; yet they are mostly as unstudied as if 
there were no fingers to touch or eyes to see with. Then, 
again, morals, in their true import and due extent, are al- 
most entirely neglected in most of these seminaries, just as 
if scholars should hear about them on the Sabbath, with 
their clean clothes on, and not put them in practice with 
each other on the rough-and-tumble week-day. 

We even ventured our scrutiny upon the lofty College 
and loftier University. And what there? A chasm as 
deep and as dark as antiquity between official dignity and 
its subjects. On one side of this profundity, in a particular 
spot, at a particular hour, was a certain machine called 
a professor, or one a very little smaller, called a tutor, placed 



14 UNCLE SAM'S LETTERS 

beside another machine called a timepiece; while this ticked 
a determinate number of minutes, the other uttered a few 
formal words, and heard, in return, what are termed recita- 
tions. One would almost think it to be a real man in some 
respects, were it not so unlike a man in others. But when 
the automaton stopped, those reciters on the other side of 
the gulf, how they capered away into natural and genial 
life again, caring no more for that recitation machine than 
they would for a piece of old iron. But we confess that 
we had some gleams of pleasure as now and then appeared 
an absolutely live and whole man in the teacher's place. 
Then the chasm seemed bridged over or not minded, and 
understanding, and heart, and look, and tone responded 
from side to side, as if wisdom were giving her children 
a holiday, and were mingling in their pastime. But we 
sighed to perceive how seldom it was so. 

We then had forced upon our sight the house of a man 
whose God was money, and who, heathen-like, made that 
God unto himself; and oh, how, with all his might, day after 
day, did he worship.. His partner — of the firm matrimonial 
— had a familiar spirit, which she consulted more times 
a day .than the clock could count except by ticking. This 
spirit's name was Vanity. Their children were like so 
many butterflies, whose colors were so gaudy, and wings 
so broad in proportion to body, and so continually flutter- 
ing, that their brain, if they had any, was not evident to the 
beholder; and, indeed, it seemed no more thought of by 
the parents than if their progeny were born and living 
without it. Sometimes the little gauds were marvellously 
like wasps, and that maternal example very much like the 
stinging mother of the same sort of creatures. 

By-and-by an officer of justice strode along with a petty 
thief in his gripe. A miserable loafer had stolen but a trifle, 
to honor Independence Day, and so he was about to have 
his ideas of liberty deliciously enhanced by the contrast of 
a prison. But behold, just behind that officer and his vic- 
tim, a personage apparently of a very different character. 
He was dressed in the genteelest style of the day, and 



THE WHY AND WHEREFORE 15 

careering on one of the most elegant horses to be found. 
Horse and man, taken together, were a show for one to stop 
and gaze at. Who does not like, once in a while, to see 
elegance and grace on the gallop ? And who, think ye, was 
this glorying rider? It was one who had been a public 
defaulter to the tune of many, many thousands. He had 
lived to eat, drink, and display, and at length peculated to 
get the means. But in time he was found out. But what of 
that? He had stolen, to be sure, as everybody knew; but 
then it was done on so grand a scale, and in such fine style, 
that it seemed to many a matter of admiration rather than 
blame. The very guardians of justice were dazzled, and 
did nothing but let him go. So here he was, Independenc- 
ing it like a champion, while that poor wretched trifle-taker 
just before him was going neck and heels to jail. 

What next? Two middle-aged men in fierce altercation. 
Each had his own party newspaper in one hand, while the 
other was swung swiftly in the air, and now and then, in 
fist-shape, quite dangerously near the opponent's nose. It 
was a political dispute, carried on in that peculiarly convinc- 
ing mode of argument, denunciation. Each knew his own 
side to be right from the perusal of his newspaper. His 
own party print did not clearly and justly present the state- 
ments and reasonings of the opposite, and he did not read or 
touch that paper. 

On turning from these two freemen we took a land-wide 
observation. The opposing publications were not read, yet 
both parties pretended to freedom, justice, and common 
sense. As we gazed and marvelled we had the strangest 
vision. Perhaps it was a sort of waking dream, suggested 
by these two newspapered combatants. But it was won- 
derful. We seemed to see two monstrous forms, each stand- 
ing on a great separate platform of his own. But far above 
towered the two opponents. Each of these enormous figures 
had a name: each figure represented a political party; it 
seemed to be notorious through the land. Each had a copy 
of the national Constitution crumpled up and soiled in 
one hand, while the other was swung abroad in the air, 



16 UNCLE SAM'S LETTERS 

and ever and anon brought very close to the opposite speak- 
er's eyes, as if to assist his sight. They appeared to be in 
grand, patriotic, political conflict, with destinies incalculable 
hanging on the issue. Aristotle and all antiquity would 
have stood aghast at the cunningness of their logic — at such 
linkings of argument; it was the chain-lightning of denun- 
ciation. It seemed as if they would annihilate each other 
into the truth. The vision subsided; but it seemed, like 
some of old, to shadow forth abomination. 

Now before our view was a young man of twenty-one 
years or therabout, standing in a grog-shop door, and hur- 
rahing " Independence forever! " in all the sublime glori- 
ousness of Fourth-of-July punch. Again we could not help 
our land-wide gaze, and we saw the same kind of ardent 
patriotism thrilling along the nerves, and twirling the 
tongues, and twitching the hands of many, many thousands 
through the nation. Their bodies fired with this, what 
clear, beaming light must stream up into their minds, from 
the combustibles and combustion below. 

Next our eye fell down on the national capital, and we 
hit upon an ignorant and stupid member of Congress. He 
was, as it were, a mere log of wood, to be scored and hewn 
into just such shape as crafty and dexterous partisans might 
like for the occasion. Close beside this piece of timber, 
with his mind's foot upon it, as it were, was a talented 
Congressman, but as heartless and conscienceless as he was 
talented. His deceived constituents sent him thither for 
their particular service, but he lived, thought, felt, and 
acted only for himself. He cared no more for them really 
than a boy's kite does for the wind that bears it up overhead. 

Immediately we found ourself, by retrospective vision, 
a spectator in the hall of the nation's representatives in 
time of session. Good men and true were there, and on the 
whole; and at last, considerable business was done. 

Here we close our Independence descriptions. The evils 
thus distinctly presented to our view, or symbolically shad- 
owed forth, must also be sufficiently evident to our readers. 
The swelling glory with which we began the day might well 






THE WHY AND WHEREFORE 



17 



go down. This nation might, indeed, be the most free, 
enlightened, virtuous, and happy on earth, and therefore 
it should be deeply grateful to Heaven. But ought it to 
be lifted in pride and puffed up with vanity, while the 
country was so spotted with stains, some of them nauseous 
as filth and destructive as poison? It should rather, with 
humility and without delay, put on the work-dress of reform. 
that the people, one and all, would commence improve- 
ment on some systematic, practical, and grandly comprehen- 
sive plan. We felt that the first step of such plan should 
be the establishment of the true philosophy of human 
nature in the popular mind. 

This we believed to be the new science of Phrenology. 
Our observations and reasonings had impressed us with 
the profoundest conviction of its truth. Mankind, con- 
forming to its principles, marriage, education, legislation, 
judicature, private and public morals, would present an 
aspect how blessedly different from the present. The 
general entrances of evil to the soul would be clearly per- 
ceived, and guard set thereon, and all the avenues of good 
would be also known and kept open wide. The spirit of 
regeneration would more readily enter into its work, and 
the kingdom of God take possession with an absoluteness 
unexampled since the time of its miraculous coming of old. 
Would that the nations could understand this creation- 
deep and fundamental science! The first discoverers and 
other competent writers had already presented Phrenology 
to the public, but their works had been read by compara- 
tively but a few, and their doctrine received by still fewer 
of those millions 'of the country who needed. How long, 
long might it not be before its principles would generally 
be deemed worthy of regard. How present evils in the 
meantime would continue, and what other evils might not 
arise. that we ourself had power to communicate our 
convictions, and set forth the truth to a people dear as 
life to our spirit! We had scarcely entertained the yearn- 
ing desire when a novel conception darted into our mind; 
it seemed a very illumination special to the case. It was 



18 UNCLE SAM'S LETTERS 

this: that Ideal influence might be so concentrated on the 
brain and nerves of some individual man as to put him at 
the perfect command of our will. We seemed to be adver- 
tised, also, that our province was peculiar, viz., just to 
attract attention to Phrenology by the association of our 
widely known name, and briefly to initiate into its prin- 
ciples. We were to shape the subject into a body of such 
smallness and levity, and with such gossamery wings, that 
it could fly above the usual obstacles, and more widely 
abroad. It would thus carry such pleasing recommendation, 
that its whole philosophy and thousand gathered facts in 
more substantial works, would sooner secure interest. Our 
hope, and conscience, and all within us said, Go on; delay 
not; it is duty. We set immediately about the work. But 
knowledge must be added to knowledge, selection made 
therefrom, and plan matured. Thus time elapsed. The 
commencement of a new year is a memorable era, sacred 
to good wishes and bright hopes. We felt it to be auspicious 
then to enter on communication, as you have seen. 

We have thus given at length the inducements to our new 
undertaking. We wished to be well understood. We have 
closed this letter with deep seriousness, for we feel it. In- 
deed, however airy may be the pinions with which our har- 
binger goes forth, the sender sits with the solid thoughtful- 
ness of an earnest spirit in his mystic home. The subject is 
as deep as all the past, as wide as the world, and as lofty 
as the incalculable future. Patriotism and Philanthropy 
will find it sublimely momentous with the unborn destinies 
of the Republic. 



LETTER IV. 

THE WHENCE AND WHAT OE PHRENOLOGY. 

We now come directly to our subject. We must first 

tell how Phrenology came into existence and what it is. 

A very singular lad once lived and went to school in one 



i 






THE WHENCE AND WHAT 19 

of the villages of Germany. His name was Francis Joseph 
Gall. Perhaps you would like to know when he was born, 
too. It was in the year 1758, about the same time that 
many of our good old men came into the world. He was 
singular, we said, for he began to be a great philosopher 
when he was but a little boy. He had a curious habit of 
looking sharp at his brothers, and sisters, and schoolmates, 
and seeing what a difference there was between them. One 
was more amiable, another got easily provoked. One was 
obstinate, another yielding in disposition. Then there 
were certain particular studies and pursuits that were more 
agreeable to each. Charles liked arithmetic; William was 
good at the writing-book; while Peter didn't take to either, 
but was off to the woods after birds' nests when he could. 
This boy Frank found himself much inferior to others 
in one respect: he could not recite a lesson at all well from 
memory, while some of his mates would let the words fly 
as easily and as quick as the quivering of a lip. On going 
to other schools he found the same difference of character. 
But he was most struck with those who could beat him at 
recitation. How glib were they at words! although he 
thought that he sometimes really knew much more about 
the lesson than they. Pie felt this difference keenly, so he 
probably thought more of it. He set himself to thinking 
how it could be. He happened to observe that those boys 
and girls w r ho could get words into their brain and out again 
so easily, had very full eyes, looking almost as if the little 
balls of sight were tied upon the outside of the head rather 
than fastened into it, as was more generally the case. He 
now recollected that the word-wielders at his first school had 
the same outstanding eye. When he went to the University 
he noticed the same difference in character, and more es-- 
pecially the same peculiarity about the eyes of fluent re- 
citers. " Well," says he to himself, at length, " I rather 
think I have found out a kink about the mind, or rather 
the brain, which has not been thought of before. It seems 
to me there must be a little piece of brain in back there, 
whose business it is to help us to get words and speak them 



20 uncle sam's letters 

out again. And the reason why some are so much more 
fluent than others is that this piece of brain is uncommonly 
large in their heads, just as he who has the biggest arm 
can lift the heaviest weight. If this should turn out to be 
the fact, what a discovery have I made! And is it not 
likely that there are many separate portions of brain that 
do different things, just as this attends to language? I will 
look more sharply than ever at every head I meet, and 
if I see anything unusual, I will just beg leave to lay hands 
on it." With these reflections and resolutions he went to 
examining people in earnest, and with unexpected success, 
too. He found generally that those who resembled each 
other in any striking trait of character resembled each other 
also in the shape of the head. Thus he went on, from 
# boyhood to youth, and youth to manhood, making observa- 
tions. He at length completely satisfied himself that every 
distinct faculty of the mind is exercised through a distinct 
portion of the brain, and in a manner which shall be de- 
scribed to you hereafter. 

Gall having studied medicine, settled as a physician in 
Vienna. Here he made many discoveries, and began to 
give lectures on his new notions. This was about the year 
1796. Four years after this a young man by the name of 
Spurzheim became a hearer and pupil of Dr. Gall, and was 
as zealous in the new science as his master. In 1804 these 
two students of the brain and the mind associated them- 
selves together as inquirers and teachers on these interesting 
subjects. They travelled into several European countries, 
and stopped in their principal cities, making further discov- 
eries and giving lectures. Some believed and honored them; 
others laughed at them. But they said, " Laugh on; we can 
learn just as well if you do laugh, and we are glad to see 
you good-natured about it." Thus they persevered, through 
good report and evil report, continually finding new proofs 
that they were right, and making new converts to their 
doctrines. This new science after awhile received the 
name of Phrenology, given to it by Spurzheim. This word 
means " discourse about the mind." But we wish to be a 



HOW PHRENOLOGY GETS ALONG 21 

little more particular. The term, as used by them, and 
as it is generally understood, means a talk or a writing about 
the mind, under the supposition that one faculty is con- 
nected with one part of the brain, and another faculty 
with another part. 

In August, 1832, Spurzheim came to this country, and 
gave lectures and made converts in Boston. There, after 
a few months, November, 1832, he died, to the great disap- 
pointment and regret of many, who wished to hear one 
who, next to Gall, was the most distinguished discoverer 
and teacher in this new science of human nature. He was 
buried at Mount Auburn. Should you ever seek the place 
where lie his remains, you will find a beautiful marble mon- 
ument, near the main entrance, with nothing inscribed but 
a single word — " Spurzheim." This is enough; for his 
works, his virtues, and his greatness need not there be re- 
corded. They will be known all over the world as fast as 
Phrenology goes to claim them. His was the first body laid 
to rest in this beautiful city of the dead. 



LETTER V. 

HOW PHRENOLOGY GETS ALONG HERE. 

Spurzheim did not visit this country without effect. He 
gave a powerful influence to inquiry, which will not cease, 
we trust, till the millions of the nation become phrenolo- 
gized, not only in doctrine, but in education and practice. 
We will now mention another European visitor, although 
Americans had labored long and well before he appeared. 
We will give them due credit by and by. 

You have heard of George Combe. If not, it is time you 
had, and read him too. He was one of the most distin- 
guished phrenologists and philosophers of Europe. His 
work on the Constitution of Man and his System of Phrenol- 
ogy are worth a thousand libraries of some of the old meta- 
physics. Combe visited this country in 1838, and he who 



o 



22 uncle sam's letters 

did not hear him lecture was a loser. To see the man was 
to stamp memory with a portrait worth having as an em- 
blem of philosophy. His tall, stooping form, gray hair, 
great head, and honest Scotch face, were a personage for 
reverence to bow before without danger of shame. What 
a noble set of faculties did Phrenology choose for her march, 
as in triumphal cars, through the American cities'! 

We now come to our own countrymen. A few have con- 
siderably distinguished themselves as practical phrenolo- 
gists, that is, as examiners of heads, or manipulators, as 
they are sometimes called. Some half dozen have acquired 
celebrity as lecturers and writers. Silas Jones has pub- 
lished an interesting volume. Amos Dean has written a 
treatise, physiological and phrenological, entitled " The 
Philosophy of Human Life." He is eloquently earnest. His 
discourse gushes forth as from the full sparkling springs of 
that healthy life to which he would bring back his erring 
kind. J. Stanley Grimes is quite an original thinker, and 
has presented a treatise in some respects of much philo- 
sophical worth. Some may deem him too speculative. But 
speculation will at length be corrected of error; and it had 
better run too wild than that truth should be unfound, 
which it often lights upon in its winged range. Our recom- 
mendations of the science will be the richer for his sug- 
gestions. Dr. Caldwell, of Kentucky, we believe to be the 
earliest distinguished receiver and champion of Gall's phi- 
losophy in this country. The gates of prejudiced ignorance 
tremble when he is thundering at them, and woe be to the 
obstinacy and craft that keeps them, at the approach of 
his sharp and shattering battle-axe. 

But there are two brothers — Fowler by name — who, be- 
sides good sound philosophy, go before most others in prac- 
tical skill. Their long and various experience enables them 
to prove the truth of Phrenology beyond all gainsay to the 
majority who put their heads under their hands. It is as- 
tonishing how they will walk right into a man, though you 
blind them as dark as sleep. If you do not believe it, just 
take a seat beneath their fingers at their offices in New York 



HOW PHRENOLOGY GETS ALONG 23 

or Philadelphia; or, if they happen near you on a lecturing 
and manipulating excursion, for the love of truth and a 
knowledge of yourself, do for once try their tongues and 
their touch. At any rate, read their books, all full of philos- 
ophy and fact. It will inform you more about the combina- 
tion and co-operation of faculties, their acting together and 
apart, than any other book we happen to know of. Besides, 
they have published facts about some of our great men 
which all the nation cannot deny, at least till they put their 
millions of thumbs and fingers where the twenty feelers of 
these two wizards of manipulation have been. We have a 
pleasing anecdote to put in here for a spicy variety. One 
of the above-named Fowlers visited a certain famous city. 
He publicly lectured and examined heads, and it was truly 
astonishing how he would take a man's character right out 
from his keeping, and hold it up before the face and eyes 
of a whole meeting-house full of folks. There were present 
some most inveterate enemies of the science. They thought 
to break the very skull-bone of Phrenology at two blows, 
and then show its whole brain to be nothing but marrow, 
with but one thought in it at a time. But, presto! that 
cunning manipulator, with his eyes shut, put their heads 
into three dozen pieces at a nip. Some of the fragments 
were of so curious a nature that the spectators of the scene 
shouted aloud with surprise. It was thought hardly pos- 
sible for the great discomfited to gather their heads into 
one again for the warfare; yet they did, or at least pre- 
tended to. And it must be confessed, if published accounts 
may be relied on, they mended themselves up with a skill, 
and pricked and cut away again, with an alertness and 
hardihood worthy of a better cause. 

As we are a recommender, we must make mention of 
Fowler's Phrenological Journal. The patrons of periodi- 
cals and the seekers of truth will find this, together with the 
casts of many singular and celebrated individuals, at their 
office in New York. There are Van Buren, Harrison, 
Webster, Clay, Benton, and Bryant, as well as many others. 
And you may find your own character there if you will but 



24 



UNCLE SAM'S LETTEES 



ask for it. There is another work which we are happy to 
advertise: Warne's " Phrenology in the Family." * It is 
particularly addressed to you, mothers. Eead it, and put it 
in successful practice, and you will make a little paradise of 
dear home. Is it thus happy now? If not, pray receive this 
messenger from our science, and it will tell you what to do 
with the stunted plants, and the thorns and thistles too. 
With the labors of these active phrenologists, and some 
others less conspicuous, scattered over the country, how 
stands our philosophy now? Many of the most observing 
and reflecting have become intelligent and steadfast dis- 
ciples. Thousands think that it is kind of true, and still 
thousands more kind of think that it is true. But what 
are all these quite and almost believers, and all these rather- 
guess and possibly-be people, to the millions of a whole 
nation? Mountains of prejudice are to be levelled before 
the truth can get into the great bottom valley of ignorance 
in which the majority abide. Fortunate, indeed, if our 
light-winged herald shall fly over the dark, rough heights, 
and be permitted to alight in the living midst. 



LETTER VI. 

BEGINNING TO BEGIN. 

We have already briefly intimated our plan, but we wish 
to be a little more particular about it. Ours is simply an 
effort to introduce other writers to favorable regard. We 
shall therefore altogether omit many things on which 
they necessarily treat. We shall say nothing scientifically 
about the skull, as others have. It is too hard a subject for 
us to handle, and is, we fancy, quite too dry a bone for be- 
ginners to pick. Mellow matter at first, in any new study, 
is found to be a good rule. We shall, moreover, use as few 
technical terms as possible: to babes in whatever science, 



vr 



1842. Out of print 1896. 



Br WINNING TO BEGIN 25 

these are as uncomfortable and uninviting as burred chest- 
nuts are to tender-fingered infancy. We would present the 
clear meat of our nut, together with some little sweetening, 
for fear that it shall otherwise seem unripe^ and taste too 
raw. 

Again, we shall make no formal and precise divisions 
in respect to the separate classes of faculties, to the degree 
observed by other writers. If this be a failing, we trust it 
will be excused in letters that are to run right along after 
each other, and with all the freedom of chit-chat. Such 
deep breaks are uninviting to many readers, especially those 
who are in a hurry. They are like ditches crossing a path, 
which provokingly check the speed, obliging one to stop 
and look across before leaping. We would have the way 
as unbroken and easy as possible. 

We must now present two or three more considerations, 
quite uninteresting at this stage, probably, but they will 
be found useful by and by. When we shall hereafter talk 
of an organ of the brain, let it be understood that it is al- 
ways double. When it is on the middle line of the head, 
the two parts join upon each other, as do the two nostrils 
of the nose. When it is on one side, its corresponding por- 
tion is in a corresponding place on the opposite side, with 
other organs between. This is a wise provision of Nature, 
as with the eyes, so that if one be injured, its fellow may 
remain sound, to exercise the needed function. Again, 
although we refer to the organs as if they were only at the 
outside of the brain, yet they mostly commence at its centre 
and bottom, and run thence, enlarging, to the surface. 

Furthermore, although we speak of material organs, it 
must always be understood that there are spiritual faculties 
connected with them and exercised through them, these 
appertaining to that immortal nature which leaves the brain 
at death. It may be convenient occasionally to use simply 
the word organ, as if itself alone performed the mental 
functions; but in such cases the distinct spiritual power is 
always understood. 

Lastty, there is one circumstance on which we shall be 



26 uncle sam's letters 

very particular. This is the arrangement of the organs in 
the brain. In speaking of this arrangement we shall refer 
to the outside of the head, or, rather, to the extremities of 
the organs just beneath; but the same, doubtless, prevails 
through the brain down to their root. 

A few words more on this subject. In all the works of 
Nature there is a certain order — a perfection of arrangement. 
Part answers to part. Things similar are put together, or 
in opposite corresponding positions. Greater and more im- 
portant things are placed centrally, and the adjuncts in 
subordinate stations at the side. This may be observed in 
the plants, trees, and the animal frame. The same is very 
strikingly true in Phrenology. Eelated organs will be 
found near each other, and the most important central. 
The nobler organs, moreover, front and crown the head, 
while those of grosser, of brute-like functions, are back, or 
low down at the side. There is no back-side-before and 
down-side-up business in Phrenology. Now please to con- 
sider that Gall and Spurzheim discovered the organs pro- 
miscuously: now one in front, then one away off opposite, 
then another at the top; here, there, and anywhere on the 
skull, just as individuals with singular prominences, or 
bumps wrongly so called, happened to present themselves. 
Gall's published works bear irresistible testimony of this fact. 
But after the discovery, lo! it was perceived how perfect 
the arrangement. We can now go regularly and systemati- 
cally over the same field of observation, and, if endued with 
common candor, be convinced, past doubt, that mortal man 
did not invent such absolute order, so heaven-like a perfec- 
tion, any more than Copernicus or Newton invented the 
sun and his planets. But we shall refer to this subject in de- 
tail as we go along. We wish here to prepare the reader 
to pause and reflect upon each instance as it shall arise, 
as it is greatly important that this remarkable arrangement 
should be clearly apprehended, and estimated at its proper 
worth as an argument for the truth. Our preliminaries 
are ended. Are you now ready, dear readers, to begin our 
brain-tour? 



PAIRING 27 

LETTEK VII. 

PAIRING : AND THE HALF OF A STORY. 

Amativeness and Conjugality. 

Let us now begin at the very beginning of human things 
— at the commencement of life. The Bible teaches that 
God made the first man and woman, and also that, through 
them, mankind were to be multiplied, to replenish, or fill 
the earth. We know that from these first parents millions 
after millions have descended, and spread all over the world. 
See, now, how skilfully the wise and good Creator has con- 
trived that this peopling of the earth should proceed from 
the original and solitary two. It was provided that male and 
female should be the father and mother of new generations. 
But if there were nothing in particular to attract them to 
each other, this office of becoming parents would not be; 
or if it could, they would not so certainly live together, to 
help each other take care of their infant offspring. So 
there was given to each sex the propensity of love toward the 
other sex; that strong, delightful feeling, by which they are 
drawn together and kept in pairs, and unspeakably blessed 
in each other's society. This affection is often laughed 
about, and those possessed by it are generally the sub- 
jects of jocularity, and sometimes ridicule. But this ought 
not to be; for the propensity was implanted by God, and for 
an all-important purpose, as we have seen; and, where there 
is perfect propriety, it is sinless in His sight, and receives His 
holy blessing. It is one of the most beautiful spectacles 
in the world to see two young beings who have loved, and 
who still do love father and mother, nevertheless leaving 
them according to the Divine command, and cleaving to 
each other with this different and far deeper love. They 
become husband and wife; then they live on and on to- 
gether. Poverty, sickness, and mutual imperfections part 
them not. What God Himself hath joined, He will not sep- 



28 uncle sam's letters 

arate, and He also forbids man to put asunder. From this 
sacred origin new life comes: families are reared, society is 
established, and great nations arise. 

You see that we have treated this matter in a graver style 
than ordinary, and it is because we feel grave about it, how- 
ever giddy mortals may regard the subject with a smile. 
Single and solitary though we are in our peculiar nature, 
yet we have a profound veneration for those primal loves 
which were Eden's deepest bliss, and for those similar loves 
in others whereby the great plan of existence is made to 
proceed. Where there is that perfect fitness of the mutual 
character by which heart grows into heart, and very being 
blend with very being, how charming, how pure the spec- 
tacle! Unseen and immortal spirits might well hover 
around such a union, and catch to themselves a new blessed- 
ness therefrom. Admired and reverenced, then, be love; 
hallowed be wedlock! 

We will now go along about our philosophy. 

Phrenologists call the principle in view Amativeness. 
Now just see where that portion of the brain with which it 
is connected is placed. It is at the back and very bottom 
of the head, close down on the neck, and nearer to the body 
than any other organ. The appropriateness of the situation 
must be very striking to those who understand the nature 
of the human frame, and exercise a little reflection. They 
will see that here should be the foundation of that grand 
pile of organs which rises in regular and perfect order in 
the head above. 

We will close this letter by an illustration, which may 
possibly instruct as well as amuse: 

A certain representative brought his daughter to spend 
the short session of Congress at the capital. No matter 
what year — and as for names, we will here use fancy ones. 
Grace Goodway was as beautiful as a blossom, and as 
sprightly as a humming-bird. She seemed to live in Mirth- 
fulness, motion, and music. How she would trip and whirl 
it in the dance! She fluttered, as it were, on the tuneful 
vibrations of the air, rather than touched substantial floor 



AMATIVENESS uONJUGALITY 29 

as others did. She was sought after by the young bachelors, 
sighed after by the old, and gazed at, as a picture, by the 
happily married. 

At last she was sought not in vain. A noble young 
fellow, clerk in one of the departments, wooed and won 
her for his own. The fashionable world wondered at her 
choice; for several honorables, and among them a senator, 
had courted her favor. How could she descend to a clerk, 
and take a name and a station hidden from all the world! 
She, the daughter of such a man, and almost died for, too, 
by such men! But our humming-bird had her own instinct 
about flowers, and she gave herself up to it, although it 
carried her into a nook where pride and vanity might not 
care to go. The fact was, that George Fairworth's lodgings 
were under the same roof with those of Grace and her father. 
There were, therefore, opportunities of acquaintance and 
mutual interest which otherwise could not have been. But, 
even with such ample opportunities, no one of inferior head 
and heart could hardly have gained her affections. Grace 
had had a most substantial education, at a seminary where 
things were studied as well as words; where the moral 
nature, also, was attended to. as well as the intellectual. 
Her education was not one of mere smatterings, or of ac- 
complishments, as they are called — gilding and hum. She 
had read, moreover, history and the philosophies with her 
talented father. It was his delight, also, to communicate 
to her a great deal about the present politics of the country, 
in which, as a public man, he was deeply interested. This 
daughter was the dear, delightful, and delighted recipient 
of the father's soul, and an excellent great soul it was. A 
mother with strong common sense, and an adept in all ap- 
pertaining to household affairs, if not in fashionable liter- 
ature, was the happy coadjutor in domestic discipline. 
Grace was therefore well prepared to see, hear, understand, 
and be instructed by the new scenes of the capital. The 
gayety and show interested her as novelties, and she en- 
joyed them as for a brief season, but they really came not 
near her inner heart. She was, indeed, lively and mirthful, 






30 uncle Sam's letters 

and seemed to forget everything but the passing scene; but 
this was owing to a very active temperament, and to the fact 
that she had been trained to keep her perceptives awake, 
and wholly to enjoy, as far as innocent, what was present 
rather than but half, and very faintly enjoy what was ab- 
sent and did not appertain to the occasion. 

George Fairworth was well educated also, but self-educated 
mostly; and he still employed most of his leisure hours in 
developing his fine powers, and storing a retentive memory 
with knowledge. He seldom went to places of amusement: 
for, having been in the city several years, he had seen 
enough of them. He had higher aims. It was with a 
mutual profit and pleasure that he and Mr. Goodway, that 
winter, spent hour after hour conversing on that infinite 
variety of topics which richly stored minds can fling out 
between them. Fairworth was exceedingly well versed in 
the details of politics, especially those of his own depart- 
ment, and communicated much information to his old 
friend. 

Grace spent many happy hours in listening to their in- 
structive conversation. She also made her useful queries, 
and contributed modestly to the entertainment by occa- 
sional remark. At other times George and Grace were 
alone in each other's company, piercing the depths of phi- 
losophy, or ranging the fields of literature. There was one 
sweet amusement, moreover, in which they could participate 
with mutual delight — we mean music. But the best music 
was in their souls, and they soon discovered the perfect 
unison. Is it a wonder, ye who are skilled in the harp of 
a thousand strings? 

The father, who rose from humble life, and had strong 
common sense, consented to his daughter's choice; and her 
mother, who married him out of pure love, also wrote con- 
sent from distant home. Thus the couple were engaged, 
in spite of the great, loud, and general say. The honorables 
by her unhonored, and other beaux bewitched and bewil- 
dered, fluttered in her train no more. Her flight was now 
beyond their reach. But March came, and Congress ad- 



PAIRING 31 

journed, and confusion went away. Grace also went home 
with her father. But the very next May wrought her bridal 
wreath, and she came back to Washington the wife of Mr. 
Fairworth, the worthy but humble clerk. The being, the 
breath, and the balm of this breeze of a woman now be- 
longed entirely to him. What a fresh and fragrant paradise 
was his home, we shall see. 

As of the least importance, let us first describe their 
abode. They took respectable board (not in the most ex- 
pensive class of houses, however), in conformity with a 
limited salary, and a judicious father's advice. They had 
a little, a very little parlor to themselves, but it was as neat 
and as tasteful as the cup of a flower. There was a row 
of plants on a painted stand at the window. On one side 
stood a rather small-sized organ. On another side were about 
forty neatly bound books in as neat a case. Over the man- 
telpiece hung the well-known picture of General Wash- 
ington and his family. We present them as they were 
found by a friend on a December evening, near the com- 
mencement of the annual Congress. The visitor alluded to 
was General H., then senator, a most intimate friend of Mr. 
. Goodway. There sat the wedded pair, as near to each other 
as a little centre-table, with two lamps on it between them, 
would let them be. As the servant opened the door, and 
before they scarcely perceived who the visitor might be, 
he observed Mr. Fairworth with a book in his hand. As 
he laid this on the little table, and his wife put down her 
sewing as preparing to rise, he discovered a tearfulness in 
the eyes of both; but the smiling softness of features be- 
neath indicated that it could not be the tearfulness of grief. 
" 0, General II.," exclaimed they together, coming im- 
pulsively forward, and each seizing a hand, " how glad we 
are to see you." " Nobody could come more welcomely 
upon us at this moment," continued Grace, " than yourself. 
More than any of my friends, you encouraged my predilec- 
tion for George. Indeed, the rest did not encourage it at 
all, my father excepted." " And you," said her husband, 
" was the only one who whispered in my ear to hope and 






32 uncle sam's letters 

persevere; and nobody can better sympathize with the hap- 
piness you foresaw than yourself." " It was but a moment 
before you entered," continued Grace, " that George had 
finished reading to me ' The Wife/ in Irving's Sketch 
Book. Oh, what a charming story! We realize it all, indeed 
we do, general; 1 had as lief tell you as not. Don't you see 
that, like Leslie and his Mary, we too are ' so snug f ! " 

They then spent the evening in reminiscences of the past, 
and with hopeful glances at the future. Just before leave- 
taking, Fairworth, with his deep, mellow bass, accompanied 
his wife's sweet voice and the organ in singing " Home, 
sweet Home! " At the close of the song, the visitor ob- 
served the same tearfulness in their eyes and smiling soft- 
ness of features beneath, as when he entered. " Do come 
and see us very often through the winter, General H.," cried 
they both, as he motioned toward the door. " Father is out 
of Congress, you know," said Grace, " and will not be here, 
so you shall be as a father to us. So come often, and come 
any time." " That I shall," was his reply; " that I shall," 
was his thought on leaving the door; " for if there is now 
on earth anything like Paradise before the fall, it is there." 
He did visit that sweet, sweet home, and enjoy a similar do- 
mestic scene very often for months afterward. It was not 
" Love in a Cottage," as romance has it, but it was love 
in a little room, amid a dashing, dissipated city. It stood 
on the very brink of these wild rapids of life, and the in- 
mates scarcely looked out on the foam. The uproar was 
unheeded as they responded to each other the mutual melo- 
dies of their hearts. Would that many who keep great 
houses unneeded, and use grand furniture unpaid for, would 
stoop, before they fall, and then copy this example! So 
thought that good old friend, and so think we! 



PARENTAGE 33 

LETTER VIII. 

parentage: and the other half oe that story. 

Philopr ogenitiveness — Parental Love . 

We have seen how the world alive begins to go — let us 
now see how it is kept going. What an interesting spec- 
tacle, that of a mother bending over the infant Providence 
has placed upon her lap. How she watches over it, yearns 
toward it, and is wasted away for it. She is impelled by 
an instinct she cannot help, for the great Parent of all has 
put it deep into her soul. Fathers have it too, though gen- 
erally with inferior intensity; for, were the principle as 
powerful with them as it is on the maternal side, they could 
not so contentedly leave their little ones, to toil at a dis- 
tance for the support of home. It is easy to understand 
why the love of offspring is a distinct feeling, and strong 
in both parents, yet still stronger in one than the other. 
Human beings come into the world in the utmost weakness 
of body and mind. Were it not for parental care they must 
suffer and perish, and thus the process of life, society, and 
happiness must stop. That propensity, therefore, is made 
all-powerful which prompts to this care: it is called Philo- 
progenitiveness. Consider that it is the feeling which is 
first and most necessary after giving birth to offspring. 
Now, where is the organ in the brain? It is just above and 
nearest to that propensity which makes this second one 
necessary. But it is more centrally situated, so as to make 
room for other feelings that grow out of and are associated 
with this. How it bunches out in some heads ! In females, 
the protuberance is generally much the most perceptible, 
their heads being relatively longer from the ears backward 
than those of the other sex. The propensity induces ten- 
derness toward children in general as well as to one's own. 
What say ye, anxious parents: would it not be well to see 
whether Phrenology be really true, so that, if it be so, you 
3 



34 uncle sam's letters 

may learn where this organ is, and what its size, against 
the time yon may want a servant to attend on, or a teacher 
to instruct your children? 

We will now piece out onr letter with a piece of a story: 
The month of May came again. The land was all gor- 
geous with flowers, and gallery and street were still all 
gorgeous with belles and gracious with beaux. But there 
was one, of whom spring, and blossom, and bird had been 
the truest emblems, who did not appear. The venerable 
old senator had not seen her for a few weeks, although he 
had frequently inquired after her welfare. " Well/' 
thought he, one bright, delicious morning, " I will call on 
Mrs. Fairworth. She will present herself to me as she 
.would to her father." So he sent up his name, and was 
quickly invited in. On entering the little parlor, his eye 
first caught the figure of a neat, middle-aged woman pass- 
ing into the contiguous bedroom, the door of which she 
shut after her. Then turning round the opening door 
toward the windows, what a new spectacle met his eyes! 
How changeful is life, yet how goodly through all its 
heaven-appointed changes ! There sat Grace, the mother 
of an infant that lay upon her lap. Her cheek had sunken 
from its roundness, and would have been very pale and 
seemed sickly, were it not for a slight crimson and a bright 
smile that stole over it like morning upon snow. Her 
hair, that had once flitted in tasteful ringlets above a rosy 
complexion, now lay in close, still folds under a plain, neat 
cap. Her eye was as bright as ever, but with a more dewy 
radiance. " Oh, General H., I am truly glad to see you," 
exclaimed she, as she motioned to rise, but withheld her- 
self, glancing at her lap; and her outstretched hand awaited 
that of her friend. She met him with tones not so loud and 
ringing, and a grasp not so energetic as formerly., but oh, 
how cordial! " What a treasure is the friendship of a pure- 
hearted woman! " thought, or rather felt, the veteran. " I 
wanted to see you — as father and mother cannot be here, 
I wanted to see you, to tell you how happy, how much 
happier we are! " was her next expression. Taking a seat 



MB. 



PARENTAGE 35 

near her side, the visitor's eyes followed hers toward the 
helpless being in her lap. He began to converse about 
her new relation and the innocence of infancy; for what 
topic is so delightful and engrossing to most mothers as 
their children ? He could not speak of the babe's beauty, 
for he had none, as yet, in his scarcely defined features, 
hardly resembling at all either of his handsome parents. 
She seemed aware of the fact, and of his perception of it 
too, and said, " I know he is not beautiful, and looks like 
neither of us, and nobody else; but I don't care; he is mine, 
and I feel that he is lovely, if I don't see him to be so." 
Then she touched his forehead with the gentlest kiss, and 
drew back, and held her head a little one side, and her 
features seemed to distil into the tenderest gaze. Then 
raising him a little, she again kissed his tiny lips, and 
sinking him back, she prattled to him just as if he under- 
stood every word, and nobody else was in the room. Then 
she patted his cheek with the tip of her forefinger, and 
smiled on and chirruped to him; then bent down and 
kissed him again. On raising her head, it crossed her mind 
that company was there, and she looked toward him, and 
then down again, as if not knowing what to say. He re- 
sumed the conversation bv asking whether she was not 
impatient to get abroad again, and breathe the spring air, 
and see how fashions flourished, and enjoy the grand elo- 
quence and stirring times at the Capitol. " Oh," replied 
she, " I don't care about things at the Capitol, or anywhere 
abroad now; I am perfectly contented, and, indeed, alto- 
gether happy here. I want to do nothing but attend, and 
lose myself with this dear babe." Then she smiled, and 
patted, and kissed again. " Can it be," thought the general, 
as she bent over the infant, "that this is the Grace Good- 
way of winter before last? " Had he known anything 
about Phrenology, the wonder would not have been. He 
would have discovered that the young mother's head was 
more than usually philoprogenitive. Indeed, the pro- 
tuberance would be painful to a phrenologist's eye, were it 
not for the fine balance of organs up, over, and opposite. 



36 uncle sam's letters 

Grace is now the judicious parent and educator of several 
children. And many a one, with a naturally much feebler 
maternal principle, might take lessons of her in firmness 
and reflection, counteracting its excess. But we have not 
done with the scene of that morning call. Unexpectedly 
to the friend, though not to Grace, as appeared, her hus- 
band entered. She raised her head from the infant, and. 
her glance at him expressed that there was one besides 
her babe absolutely necessary to her happiness. He greeted 
the general with his usual cordial energy, and sat down 
beside these dearest objects of his heart. " I now run 
home from the department a few minutes every forenoon 
to see how they are," said he. But with delicate endear- 
ments to the most beloved, he so joined kind attentions to 
his friend, that he could not but feel, more than ever 
before, how large a good man's heart may be; how it can 
hold all its friendships closely in, while its loves fill up the 
centre, and are more deeply down. As the general turned 
from taking leave, his eye caught the afore-mentioned 
picture over the mantel-piece, and he reflected how appro- 
priate an emblem they had chosen as an ornament to their 
humble but happy home. The same picture adorns many 
other homes; but the bliss represented thereby is rendered 
too indistinct by the grandeur of office on which it stands, 
the glory of character by which it is surrounded. But if 
there were a representation of the bliss experienced in the 
abode just described, there would be no height of station 
to awe, or light of fame to dazzle the beholder from con- 
templating home, sweet home, and nothing else. 

As no artist has pencilled this little parlor, its few ap- 
purtenances, and its happy inmates, we have thus made a 
word-painting of them, with our poor, inadequate skill. 
If there shall be any who find our description out of place, 
or too long, it will not be those husbands and wives who 
make well-matched love, small means, and economy go 
together, or those fathers and mothers whose heads are 
shaped much like George and Grace Fairworth's. 

Mr. Fairworth soon obtained a place much above his 



HOME 37 

first humble station. We will venture a prediction about 
him; it is this: that when long, thorough, and safe ex- 
perience shall be considered of more importance than mere 
party prominence, he will be made the honored head of 
the department in which he has been so excellent a sub- 
ordinate. 

LETTEE IX. 

HOME. 

Inhabitiveness. 

What is next wanting after parental tenderness and 
care ? It is a spot where the mother can sit down and make 
her nursing lap, and then a safe bed for her infant's sleep; 
a spot, too, where she can provide food, and comforts, and 
many agreeables for her husband on his return from toil- 
ing at a distance for wife and children's support. This 
spot is home. It should not often be changed, as any one 
can perceive, without our helping them. So there is im- 
planted in man an instinctive attachment to the place of 
abode. There is a tie fastened here which only lengthens 
when he goes away, and which pulls and pulls upon him 
till it brings him back to the rivet again. Some are bound 
by a cord so hard and stiff that it will not stretch at all, 
so that they are contented enough without stepping a mile 
into the broad and novel world. A phrenological traveller 
in the Old Colony in Massachusetts once found a most ex- 
traordinary instance of this attachment to home. In a cer- 
tain tame town there was a young man, as bright and in- 
telligent as you would see in a thousand. He had read 
books, seen cultivated society, and taught school; but 
during his whole life he had scarcely been out of his native 
neighborhood. He had grown up to almost manhood be- 
fore he had been even a few miles to old Plymouth, where 
is the famous Landing Eock, and the ground sacred to the 
memory of the Forefathers. Webster had thundered there 



38 uncle sam's letters 

with his grandest eloquence, and Everett had there poured 
forth his silveriest melodies on Pilgrim Day; and beauty 
had come all the way from Boston, and the whole country 
round, to hear, and dance, and dazzle, and, it may be, 
carry captive hearts away with them; but our fine fellow 
had no moving desire to go near all this. Boston, Liberty's 
cradling-place and the emporium of learning, was not more 
than thirty miles off, yet he knew it only by hearsay. 
Judging from his conversation, he was hardly likely to go 
there in his lifetime, unless sent head first by ballot-box 
impulse to legislate for his townsmen. Who else of his 
age in the whole country had not been to Plymouth? Who 
had not seen the city of notions — at least, who did not 
wish for such visit? But he did not; if so, it was but 
, faintly. Now this youth had a ]arge development on the 
back of his skull. This was the organ of Inhabitiveness, 
as this attachment to abode is called. Now observe where 
it is: just above Philoprogenitiveness, and touching upon 
it. It is this last-named propensity that makes the other 
more particularly necessary. The one has only to touch 
this next neighbor, and hint, " Please to provide a com- 
fortable place for my children,'' and straightway it is done. 
But this feeling operates beyond the threshold where 
children tottle out and in. It makes one attached to his 
own town, and even his own side of it. Somewhere along 
the seashore between Eastport and New Orleans is a town 
peculiarly beautiful of aspect on one side. There are water 
and cliff, woodland and field, in the most romantic variety. 
But away off back stretches a wide, sandy plain, as dry 
and tame as an unplaned board. Somewhere amid the 
waste is a house tenanted by the fattest content. One day 
a visitor was standing in the yard, in company with the mis- 
tress of the domicile, when she exclaimed, " Isn't this a 
pleasant place to live in, Mr. Waterland? I like it better 
than any other part of the town." " It may be pleasant to 
you, ma'am," was the reply, as a gust of wind whisked a 
parcel of the delightful sand into the speaker's face. He 
could not flatter her with anything more positive, and she 



SURROUNDING AFFECTIONS 39 

really looked painfully disappointed. The incident was as 
trivial as an atom of dust, and as dry, it may be, to the 
reader; yet it was big and rich with instruction to that 
visitor. It led him admiringly and gratefully to reflect on 
the Creator's skill in adapting human nature to its situa- 
tion, and to his plan of widely peopling the world. Were 
it not for this blind attachment to abode, population would 
all crowd to one quarter of a town, or betake themselves 
somewhere away, especially in a country broad enough for 
each one to choose a pleasant habitation. Thus the less 
inviting places would remain long unoccupied, or, at least, 
be ever changing their inhabitants, if chance should ever 
bring them any. 

This propensity, moreover, operates still farther abroad. 
It feels native land to be home, in distinction from the 
great common world. It attaches nations to an appropriate 
portion of the earth. Were it not for this, they would be 
huddling together, jostling, slashing, and knocking down 
— a curse upon each other's lives. As it is now, the very 
northernmost tribes cling to their barren climes, with no 
sun to warm and light them for half a year at a time. How 
Inhabitiveness will make a bosom among the very ices for 
the great heart of patriotism to grow in and keep warm! 



LETTER X. 

SUEKOUNDING AFFECTIONS. 

Adhesiveness — Friendship. 

If parents love children, these also, in turn, love parents, 
and pay delightfully back their tenderness. How the very 
babe will twine the arms around the neck, and hug and kiss, 
as if there were nothing like it for pleasure! Then how 
brothers and sisters cling to each other, as if strung heart 
to heart, encircling the central, parental twain. Beyond 
relationship, there is the attachment of friend to friend. 



40 uncle sam's letters 

Still farther, there are bonds of feeling which hold mankind 
together in general society. If people do not exactly like 
one another, they like to live together, notwithstanding. 
This principle of union is not that of sex, or parentage, or 
Inhabitiveness, but something quite distinct, as anyone 
may perceive by thinking a little. It is called, in Phrenol- 
ogy, Adhesiveness. Now where should its organ be ? Off 
the other side of the head? Certainly not, you at once reply. 
Well, as you know where its neighborhood is, we will tell 
you, as nearly as possible, where its very position may be 
found. Adhesiveness is on each side of Inhabitiveness. The 
home organ seems to be a sort of pillar, to which both the 
others are fastened, and Combativeness, as a defender of 
friends and family, joins Friendship on the outside. And 
in the very nature of things, this should be the central hold. 
Husband and wife, parents and children, friends, and ac- 
quaintances, and countrymen, must have a spot on which 
they may stand to help each other, and interchange their 
affections. Here, then, are the organs of all these relations 
in life, just below and around that which finds a place for 
their exercise and enjoyment. Is there anything in all 
art or nature more skilfully contrived, and wisely arranged 
and put together, than this little cluster of organs? 

It is through these few propensities already described that 
society is established, the first important circumstance to- 
ward peopling and improving the world. Some phrenolo- 
gists denominate them the " Establishing Group/ 



» 



LETTEE XI. 

DEAR ONES DEFENDED. NATURE SUBDUED. 

Combativeness and Destructiveness. 

But society, when once established, must be safe from 
danger that it may continue to exist. In all new countries 
ravenous wild beasts must be kept away; human enemies, 






DEAR ONES DEFENDED 41 

too, must be repelled. There is a principle in man which 
prompts him to use force when assailed — to combat danger. 
The organ of it — Combativeness, as it is called- — is situated 
outward of Conjugality, Adhesiveness, and Philoprogeni- 
tiveness, and these constantly prompting that to an ener- 
getic defence against oppression. But in this combat 
for safety it may sometimes be necessary to destroy the as- 
sailant's life. As brutes and men are constituted, life must 
be sacrificed on one side or the other. Hence the use of 
the propensity of Destructiveness. Its organ is placed in 
front of Combativeness, just above each ear. This organ 
is the most unpopular of all. Can it be, say some, that the 
Creator would implant a principle whose function is to 
destroy? We ask these doubters just to look at the world 
as it is, and not as they fancy it ought to be made. It is 
a fact that mankind do take the lives of beasts and of each 
other. There must be a cause for this act somewhere; why 
is it not a distinct and separate propensity? Phrenologists 
have discovered, and all may likewise discover by looking, 
that those who are particularly fierce and destructive in 
disposition are peculiarly prominent just above the ear. 
But we will appeal to your own consciousness, ye objectors. 
Did you never get provoked? Have you never felt resent- 
ment start suddenly up, and perhaps sometimes continue in 
irritable activity? Well, this principle cannot possibly 
spring from the organs which have been mentioned, or from 
others that are to be noticed, yet you must allow that it 
exists. And you cannot find a more appropriate nook for 
the fierce little creature to burrow in, than the low place 
in the head before mentioned, and beneath the noble com- 
pany of principles that tower over it to keep it in order, 
as we shall see. 

The two propensities last mentioned have been of essen- 
tial service in aiding patriotism to defend dear native land. 
Washington himself had them full, though in fine subjec- 
tion to his nobler nature. They are neeessary, also, in com- 
bating and removing obstacles in the first settling of a 
country, and, indeed, in the various affairs of life where 



42 uncle sam's letters 

inanimate matter is to be contended with. Just see what 
a difference there is between the rocks, sands, woods, and 
savageness of this continent, as found by our ancestors, and 
the teemingly rich aspect it now presents. It would take 
this whole nation a thousand years to count all the blows 
which have been given, and all the things broken to pieces 
to produce the glorious change. 

The time may come, and, indeed, may be now, when these 
propensities should be withholden from the destruction of 
human life. Still they will exist, to give energy to the 
other powers, that they may continue to cultivate and sub- 
due the earth according to the Divine command. 



LETTER XII. 

BREAKFAST, DINNER, AND SUPPER. 

Alimentiveness. 

But one might as well die by the teeth of a brute or the 
sword of an enemy, as perish for the lack of necessary sus- 
tenance. So, nearly on a line with these two champions of 
defence, and just in front of the ear, is placed that forager 
for the body, Alimentiveness. This propensity gives the 
feeling of hunger and the liking to eat. Only see how con- 
veniently it is stationed, close by the hinge of the jaws, as 
if to make them willingly work and grind its provender. 
It is as near to the teeth, and the tongue, and the palate as 
it could well be got, without intruding upon the more 
respectable company of less sensual organs. 

But just go back a little, and see how it makes use of 
its two warlike neighbors that stand in single file behind it. 
It is a good thing to keep warriors from being idle in time 
of peace; so Alimentiveness gives them plenty of work to 
do. It says to Destructiveness, " Smash those vegetables; 
grind that grain; kill and cut up that animal for my dinner." 
But these things, inanimate as well as animate, may require 



ALIMENTIVENESS APPETITE 43 

some hard knocks to make them yield; so this purveyor- 
general looks over behind the ear, and wakes up Combative- 
ness, saying, " Back up and push on this fellow, Destructive- 
ness, here. Between you both, just lay the obstinate creat- 
ures low, cut them into convenient pieces, and I will take 
care of them/' The work is straightway done, and Ali- 
mentiveness feeds, perhaps feasts, and then takes its nap. 

This propensity, when awake and in active enjoyment, 
is of a remarkably social character. It seems to like com- 
pany of its own rank and vocation. It does not prefer to 
take its portion in solitude. It may not be the truth, but 
it will do no harm to fancy that this sociability may arise 
from the position of the organ. Here it is, at the side 
of the head, as near to the same organ in another head as 
it can well be got. People like to sit closely, side by side, at 
the table. Mankind, thus brought often into near com- 
panionship, have a capital chance to let the higher facul- 
ties of each one get acquainted with the higher of another. 
Verily, how curious are the bonds and the impulses of 
societv! 

But of how little use is the social spirit of this feeding 
faculty, in a country where another propensity is so active 
and grasping! Just look at some of our tables, especially 
those at mercantile boarding-houses and hotels. Alimen- 
tiveness has only time to wield knife and fork, wag the 
jaws, and gulp down for ten or fifteen minutes, without 
leaning over to another in a sympathetic or convivial way. 
Beef, potatoes, and pudding are the game, and it must 
stretch after them, or be a loser. Wliat is conversation 
cared for there, unless a bargain may be saved out of it? 
We will show you, by-and-by, where this whip-lash and 
goad-holder to Alimentiveness is. Were he a little farther 
off, his hurrying drive might not be quite so efficient. But 
no matter. Driving fast is a blessing to our stomach-tender, 
compared with another sort of fast which that old feudal 
queen, Want, imposes on myriads in the old Eastern World. 



4:4 uncle sam's letteks 

LETTEE XIII. 

TOOL-TACT. 

Constructiveness. 

But the eater wants a table to place his platter on, and 
a shelter, moreover, to keep the rain from putting out his 
cooking-fire. He wants raiment, too; and, indeed, a thou- 
sand things one after another, as his knowledge grows and 
his means increase. But, in order to have them, he must 
go to work and make them. But how shall he do this, unless 
he have some taste toward, and tact about it? So he has 
the propensity of Constructiveness. If it be not so, how is 
it that people so differ in a liking for tools and a skill to 
use them? How things will shiver to pieces, and smooth 
off, and hop into place beneath the touch of some, while 
others manage as if their fingers were all thumbs, and 
their hands as stiff as paddles ! There are the great invent- 
ors, too — Watt of the steam engine, Fulton of the steam- 
boat, and Whitney of the cotton-gin, and a thousand others, 
who have sent arts and civilization ahead. Had they no 
gifts but a lucky idea, that might have popped into almost 
any other head as well as theirs? 

But let us show the organ's place. It is just above and 
a little forward of Alimentiveness and Acquisitiveness. It 
is just where it should be in relation to the other faculties, 
as will appear as Ave go along. Now keep an observing eye 
out on great mechanics, artists, and inventors, and sat- 
isfy yourselves. Just one bright example, and we go to the 
next neighbor. 

One day, a few years ago, we noticed a fine-looking, 
Yankee-like fellow at a certain room in the Capitol. He 
was showing some bystanders a rifle of peculiar construc- 
tion. He had an enormous bilge on the part of his head 
just described. And who do you think it was? Cochran, 
the inventor of a rifle that would let off bullets almost as fast 



TOOL-TACT THE GETTER 45 

as a clock would tick. He went to Turkey, and made all 
Constantinople stare. The Sultan hired this New Hamp- 
shire boy to fix a set of guns for him that would keep his 
old enemy of Russia hack among his bears. His Construc- 
tivcness came home with a fortune in pocket beneath; and 
there he was, waiting to trade with our government for a 
hundred thousand dollars more, as balance in pocket the 
other side. 

If you wish for farther examples, just come to the capital, 
and stand in the path to the Patent Office, and they will 
cross by you almost every day. But just go, in there your- 
self, and see how Constructiveness has constructed ten 
thousand things Tubal-Cain and all antiquity never 
dreamed of; in short, almost everything but its own fort- 
une. 

Telegraphy, photography, sewing machines, ocean pro- 
pellers, typewriting machines, mowing machines, rakers, 
reapers, and binders, type-setting machines, repeating rifles, 
rifled cannon, corn-planters, roller skates, and bicycles, and 
the x-ray were yet to appear. 



LETTER XIV. 

THE GETTER. 

Acquisitiveness. 

That impatient driver of poor Alimentiveness, who was 
hinted at in letter before last; that thorn in his side, which 
pricks him to swallow his meal unchewed, and shut up, 
and lie down, is Acquisitiveness. He is the most avaricious 
of all the propensities. But he is an all-useful creature. 
What would Alimentiveness do without him? He it is that 
in summer lays up food for the winter in all abundance 
and variety. He provides house, furniture, raiment, and 
a thousand things, and, besides all this, often lays up a 
store of the needful for a long time to come. What would 



46 uncle sam's lettees 

any of the other faculties do without this getter and saver- 
general of the whole establishment within the mental castle ? 

But let us be a little more philosophical. Here is the 
earth and all thereon given for man's use. But, to be used, 
it must be portioned out to each individual. And who 
shall portion it out but the individual himself? If he does 
not, others will hardly do it for him. The earth is large 
and full of things, and there seems to be no end to its capac- 
ity to yield to those who seek. Hence there is a propensity 
to seek and to keep seeking, and to take all that is pre- 
sented. Thus the earth is more energetically subdued, ac- 
cording to the Divine command. Countless new things 
are made and secured to particular ownership, and mankind 
are more and more comfortable in body and joyous in spirit. 

This getting and keeping disposition begins to show itself 
very early in life. The child delights to call his playthings 
" mine." And who has not seen a lad counting his coppers or 
marbles with a most gloating pleasure? But take care of 
such an urchin, or his copper-counting will be a miserly 
business by-and-by. 

Sometimes this propensity is monstrous, and sets its pos- 
sessor mad. Dr. Woodward will show you a poor fellow at 
the Worcester Insane Hospital who has the organ very large 
and insanely excited. He fancies that the United States 
owe him some fifty millions, and threatens to appeal to the 
law if Government does not down with all this cloud of 
golden dust at his feet. 

But no matter; the feeling exists, and the organ must be, 
and can be, found. We'll tell you where; it is back of Con- 
struct! veness, and joining upon it and thus located just at 
the most convenient spot. Constructiveness wants to use it 
to get materials to work with. Acquisitiveness takes and 
hoards the productions of this Jack at all trades, and keeps 
the nimble little creature from the misery of having nothing 
to do. It is the element of economy and the basis of wealth 
and comfort. 

In closing, we beg leave to speak an admonitory word 
to parents. Our little work was undertaken with more 



TAKE CARE — CAUTIOUSNESS 47 

particular reference to education than any other great in- 
terest. Indeed, education is at the foundation of all inter- 
ests. We love the young; our spirit hovers over, and yearns 
toward them with guardian anxiety. We would say, there- 
fore, to their nearest, dearest relatives, examine for your- 
selves, or ask the practical phrenologist in respect to the 
strength of their getting propensity. If too large, it must 
be taken care of, and that early. If Benevolence, and es- 
pecially Conscientiousness, be not strong in proportion, 
they will be in danger of tarnishing your name with mean- 
ness, perhaps blasting it by crime. There is such a thing 
as trying to gain the world and marring the soul. Again 
we urge, go to the phrenologist, or study phrenology your- 
self, and learn the relative strength of a principle which, 
unmanaged, might push your children into vice and crime 
at which you would shudder with horror, could you behold 
it with prophetic eye ! 



LETTER XY. 

TAKE CARE. 

Cautiousness. 

In defending family and home, Combativeness and De- 
structiveness might push a man upon his enemy's weapons, 
or fling him under his feet; or he might stay on his premises 
till the assailant should come and hurl his deadly missiles 
in at his very windows. But, to guard against such thought- 
lessness, another principle is implanted in man, called by 
the phrenologists Cautiousness; a vigilant sentinel that gives- 
timely warning of danger. Just see where the sentry-box 
is built: it is contiguous to the fortress of the fisticuff er, and 
not far from that of the blood-letter, and above them both, 
high up against the bony top of the rampart of the brain. 

See how it juts over, giving fine command of the field 
of danger. From this lofty position, the propensity within 



48 UNCLE SAM'S LETTEES 

looks out for the rash fellows below, and cries out, " Take 
care there, take care." So the entrances of home are barri- 
caded, or the foe is sought for at a distance, and care is taken 
against his stab and his clutches. 

To speak now without a figure, you know that children, 
in their ignorance, are liable to run into danger, and in their 
weakness might not run fast enough out of it; so the feeling 
of fear is given them, to keep them at a distance from any- 
thing that looks hurtful. Should harm actually come near 
them, it makes them scream in terror, to attract aid to their 
helplessness. Fear is but the intense action of Cautious- 
ness. The young would suffer and perish beyond calculation 
were it not for its activity. You may observe that this organ 
is much larger proportionally in children than it is in the 
^nature, because it is so much more needed. 

But in the various forthgoings of business or pleasure, 
all need the watching of Cautiousness. We are everywhere 
surrounded by the forces of changeful, active nature, that 
might wound or destroy. Wind, water, and fire would other- 
wise often get the mastery. We witnessed the activity and 
rise of the principle but an hour ago upon Pennsylvania 
Avenue. A pursy piece of old indolence was taking an after- 
dinner stroll this fine afternoon, lagging along with his eyes 
buried in the fat of his cheeks. He was just crossing the 
extremity of one of the transverse streets, when a stage-and- 
four, right from under the crack of the whip, almost touched 
his ankles. Terrors! how that whip-crack put life into him! 
how his ponderousness started! His logs of legs and billets 
of feet really hopped; they did, in fact, run. Had not fear 
taken sudden care of him, that whip-snapper on the stage- 
box would hardly have done it. 

Now just look up there again, and admire the position 
in which our sentry is perched. Above and commanding 
the ear, how he bends over or turns it backward to catch 
the sound of approaching peril ! Then, there being one 
on each side of the head, they have those front windows, the 
eyes, and all the other faculties that look through them, 
at their service and bidding. If people cannot keep out of 



KEEP CLOSE 49 

common harm's way, it must be because these heralds of 
alarm are miserable dwarfs, and have not strength enough 
to give a twitch or a push toward safety. 



LETTEE XVI. 

KEEP CLOSE. 

Secretiveness. 

In" making and in acquiring the various goods of life, 
and in pursuing any other purpose, who tells all the 
thoughts and feelings that come into his mind? Nobody 
but the absolute dunce. The very child will communicate 
some things, and hold in others as close as the blood under 
the skin. What a universal Babel the world would be, did 
its inhabitants clack and clatter out all that happens into 
the head ! 

There is a concealing propensity that attends the door of 
utterance, and keeps the latch down, as it were. Its name 
is Secretiveness. This hides a plan till it is matured, so 
that others, seeing half only, cannot laugh at it or put it 
down. Business could hardly go on without it. See how 
conveniently it is placed, just back of Constructiveness, 
and back of and a little below Acquisitiveness, and joining 
on both, ever ready to help their prudence. But this pro- 
pensity has a larger piece of brain at its command, so as to 
have care of a couple of violent fellows, that would upset 
the best laid plans in their hotness and haste. See, it runs 
all along back, pressing upon Destructiveness, and push- 
ing against that fist-lifter, Combativeness, managing them 
both like a master. What a scene of blows and blood every 
village would be without this wise counsel-giver and guar- 
dian of the peace ! Now, if some word or deed provokes, 
the resentment may be kept from bursting out at the door, 
if it cannot be held from peeping through the keyhole. 
But, setting aside positive irritations, how many disagree- 
4 



(C 



50 UNCLE SAM'S LETTERS 

able thoughts and feelings we cannot but have about our 
imperfect fellow-creatures, which must not be made known! 
Did not this propensity suppress them, how miserable would 
be intercourse! Adhesiveness, over back there, would 
hardly hold society together, assisted even by its love- 
making neighbors, with all their close-twining ties. 

It is worthy of notice, moreover, that Secretiveness joins 
close upon Cautiousness, from which it occasionally re- 
ceives especial stimulus. When those two fierce warriors 
down below are at their dangerous work, Cautiousness 
prompts Secretiveness to use stratagem, putting others in 
peril, but keeping out of it themselves. The one also 
prompts the other in a coward to hide himself out of the 
way, and keep still when fight comes threatening along. 
Take Care " is also an ever-ready coadjutor with 

Keep Close " in the quiet concerns of business, as may 
be easily perceived by a little reflection. What convenient 
proximity between the fellows ! These' two neighbors, 
again, are sometimes remarkable co-operators in the wordy 
wars and the complicated tactics of politics. When they 
are both vigorous, and Conscience, withal, is weak or seared 
over by the hot irons of party, then the politician can act 
the demagogue with a perfection almost unearthly — we 
do not mean heavenly, however. He will keep back just 
such particular facts, and put forward just such other par- 
ticular ones as will exactly answer his purpose; and if half 
the truth will not suit his turn, he has the ability and. dis- 
position to invent the very kind and very number of fic- 
tions that will supply the deficiency. He gets such com- 
plete possession of his partisans' confidence, that he will 
almost put black in the place of white, and make them 
believe it reflects all the pure and shining rays of truth. 
If at any time he cannot quite do this, he can exhibit a 
very passable gray. There is a creature which steals wind- 
in gly along the ground to his aim. People shun him as if 
he was a bad spirit incarnate: but he is sometimes dazzlingly 
beautiful; and he is said actually to fascinate and fasten 
within his reach, and seize to his use certain other poor, 






SELF-ESTEEM 51 

witless animals. Well, this creature is the appropriate 
emblem of this sort of politician. His course is snakily 
straight onward. The curve iine is said to be that of beauty. 
His- friends seem to apply this philosophy of taste to his 
progress. The more crooks the better, so admirably grace- 
ful they appear in his movements. Then, when he con- 
centrates on them the whole force of his subtle spirit, 
they are fascinated, spell-bound, and altogether and abso- 
lutely his own. 

But do not suppose every public man with both Cau- 
tiousness and Secretiveness vigorous, to be a truthless 
demagogue. With intellect strong, and Conscience in equal 
strength, he will possess that shrewdness and tact — that 
fortunate wisdom — which is likely to conduct him to 
eminent success. His opponents will, of course, represent 
him as truthlessly cunning just because he is prudent, and 
therefore gets the better. He will take his decided course, 
and mature his plans, and with an amiable disposition 
smile in their angry faces. The fit emblem of such a man 
is the healthy, symmetrical, and beautiful willow. Modest, 
yet distinguished among the trees, it has been chosen to 
embellish the courtly grounds where it stands, imbibing 
the vitalizing air and sunbeams, and lending its peaceful 
good. But, should a tempest arise, how gracefully it will 
bow and sweep round to the assailing winds! The com- 
motion over, the root is found as fast as ever, and not a 
bough is cracked, branch broken, twig twisted, or the least 
green leaf carried away. 

LETTER XVII. 

I MYSELF. 

Self-Esteem. 

Having seen how society is established, defended, fed, 
clothed, sheltered, and well to live, let us now see how it 
is governed. A people must be made to move together 



52 uncle sam's letters 

toward a common enemy or toward a common good. Be- 
sides, they must be kept from fighting and niching among 
themselves as much as possible. 

Have you not observed some particular schoolboy always 
take the lead in common play or less common roguery, 
fetching the rest after him at the twirl of his finger or the 
wink of his eye? He has a sort of self-confidence in his 
abilities that carries him ahead. It is precisely the same 
self-confidence that first made some particular savage the 
chief of his tribe. In the hunt or in the war, he seized 
his club and cried out to his clan, " This way," and they 
came; " That way," and they went; " Stop," and they 
stopped; " Give it to them," and they let fly. In any 
difficulty between his companions, he said, " I'll have none 
of that;" and they stood still or slunk away. 

This self-election to rulership was absolutely necessary 
in the earliest times, when men did not know enough to 
choose rulers themselves, as we do, by ballot; also respect 
for birth, together with convenience, established the cus- 
tom of hereditary authority. 

This self-sufficiency is only the excess of feeling pos- 
sessed by all. In communities like our own, we now and 
then find a similar excess. Such men among barbarians, 
other things being equal, would have made fierce and 
feathered chiefs: now they are the most loud-talking and 
positive in company. They would have all the world take 
wink from and walk after them. These self-mightinesses 
are remarkable for their power of perpendicularity; indeed, 
their stoop, if they have any, is towards their heels rather 
than towards the bowing and complying side of the body; 
they hold their eyes as if they were seeking some rising 
or risen star rather than their road along the low earth. 

Now we'll tell you the reason of this personal uplifted- 
ness and uplookingness. The organ in question is just on 
the crown of the head, about where the hair takes its various 
direction. The principle sits centrally, like a crowned mon- 
arch, high above the organs by which society is established, 
according to our philosophy. To continue the figure, when 



APPROBATIVENESS 53 

■ 

this sovereign's throne is large and his crown heavy, they 
cannot but bend the head back, and bring its front up, 
and lift the lower face into a sort of royal look. But a 
stupid royalty it is, unless there be a plenty of brain just 
above, to put the power and life of thought and good 
feeling into its pretensions. Such uplifting of the crown, 
and such flatness in front, would make, in savage life, a 
peremptory simpleton of a chief, and in a civilized mon- 
archy, a proud fool of a prince. In our country they 
curse their possessor with a senseless superciliousness, and 
mark him with a sappy face. 

This is termed the organ of Self -Esteem by most phrenol- 
ogists. Mr. Grimes calls the faculty Imperativeness, on 
account of its use in the establishment and maintenance of 
necessary authority. In ordinary size and activity, it im- 
parts a due self-respect, and demands consideration from 
others only as it is deserved. When it is deficient, the face 
bends over and the look is humble, even beneath the high- 
est forehead. Men of this character need others to help 
them up and to hold on, or down they go again. 



LETTER XVIII. 

A SORT OF SELF-REGULATOR. 

Approbativeness. 

But this self-sufficient and governing propensity, pre- 
viously spoken of, would meet with many a hard rub, and 
perhaps be quite rubbed out or rooted up, were it not for 
another principle to modify its movements and make it 
acceptable to the governed, or to the otherwise ungovern- 
able. This is the Love of Approbation, or regard for the 
good opinion of fellow-men: Approbativeness in Phrenol- 
ogy. 

Its organ is situated on each side of Self -Esteem and 
keeping it from fierce outbreaks. It says, " Softly, there. 



54 uncle sam's letters 

Although you do tower up so tall, making it hard to get 
at you, it is best to come down a little, at least in the way 
of a good-natured bow." 

The most absolute monarch must consult public opinion 
in some degree. In republics, this principle is absolutely 
indispensable to help an aspirant to gain a standing, or to 
keep it. The people would soon pull Self-Esteem from its 
perpendicularity, were it not for the prudent whispers of 
this gentlemanly neighbor. 

Sometimes the useful faculty is agitated by the most 
intense anxiety — what a fever, indeed ! Just touch a dema- 
gogue's organ about election time, and, burns and blisters! 
what a little coalpit it seems. When Self-Esteem and 
Approbativeness are coequal and excessive, bell-crowned 
hats are capital conveniences for such characters. Ye 
liberty-lovers ! study Phrenology. But, until you do, take 
a hint from one who has studied it: Get close behind your 
candidates while they are shouting freedom from the 
caucus-stump, and if the back of their heads are too large 
you may conclude they are merely playing on the popular 
chords; they don't care a penny for anything but their own 
music and the coppers that may be coming: the people are 
mere catgut to them. 

Approbativeness makes also the boudoir of that dash- 
ing queen of Fashion. She will have her habitation in 
every head — almost; and where is the pocket she lets go 
unpicked? She pops out, and pops over to Acquisitiveness, 
and whispers, " Shell out there below," and little Mammon 
is in a flurry. But the witch up above don't care. She 
teases, and the poor purse-griper is in agony. But no 
matter; he must hand over, if he dies in doing it. 

This feeling, in due proportion to the other faculties, is 
very desirable. It furnishes very tolerable oil for the social 
wheels, if no other oil is to be had; and when other oil there 
is, even a mixture with this does better service. The sound- 
est machinery would grate shockingly without it. Appro- 
bativeness makes the world's face to shine and its axles to 
work smoothly. It may lead to vanity and vice. 



THE DICTATOR OF DUTY 55 

LETTER XIX. 

THE DICTATOB OF DUTY. 

Conscientiousness. 

We come to a principle, all-important in the subordina- 
tion and good order of the society which we have seen 
established and in action, moved by the several propensities. 
It is a sentiment which says, " This is due to me, let me 
have it: that belongs to him, let it alone." This is the 
feeling of Justice — Conscientiousness is its name. Eulers 
possessing this know that the}' must not outrage it in 
others. They must make equitable laws to operate between 
subject and subject, and they must themselves keep at least 
in the neighborhood of right. This is a pure and noble 
sentiment. It must have justice, for earth and heaven's 
sake. Now observe its lofty seat, whereupon it exercises 
its sacred vocation: it is just each side of the topmost 
head, in front of Approbativeness, and adjoining it, with 
Cautiousness each side, adjoining likewise. From this 
commanding position it wields the balance, weighing the 
deeds of self and of all other men. Approbativeness, just 
back, is informed of its decisions, and desires to comply 
for reputation's sake. Cautiousness, on either side, prompts 
obedience to its behests through fear of punishment. 

In republics, where everything depends on the favor of 
the people, the above-named co-operative principles are 
very active, and, like a vigilant watchman and a polite min- 
ister who serve for pay, greatly aid the sovereign faculty 
to keep the ambitious and the selfish somewhere near the 
rightful interests of their country. 

But Conscientiousness has to do not only with the re- 
lations between government and the governed, but it also 
enters into minuter concerns between man and man in 
private and less observed life. Where there can be any 
possible discrimination between right and wrong, there is 
the vocation of Conscience. If, in putting down your lifted 



56 uncle sam's letters 

foot, the interest of another may be harmed in the least 
by the pressure, this faculty, if duly active, says, "With- 
hold; tread on another spot." Its all-searching law is, 
" Do as you would be done by." 

But such Conscience, or such obedience to Conscience, 
is not found in all. How much has moral education to do 
before it shall be prominently seen even in the majority? 

We know of a case that will serve for a lesson, so it shall 
here be recorded. 

It took place on one of the loveliest islands belonging 
to our country's domain. It was June, the balmiest of all 
months at the North. The atmosphere, there less dis- 
turbed by the comfortless spirit of the northeast, was like 
air that might once have given health to Eden. It was so 
exhilarating, that it seemed, as it were, to take weight 
from the human body, and permit it to glide on with the 
buoyancy of a bird. But what is Nature, with all her purity 
and charmingness, to the transcendency of Eectitude in 
the moral world? At the first and faintest gleam of the 
dawn, an individual was on his way to the seaside, there to 
behold the effect of breaking day. In quickly leaping a 
wall, he threw down a mere pebble of a stone which lay 
loosely on its top. The vacancy thus made was altogether 
unimportant, and would have been noticed only by an eye 
that had just seen it fall. 

He passed rapidly on, but when half across the wide field 
he halted, and, as if struck with a sudden impulse, exclaimed 
aloud, "I ought to have put up that stone; I must now 
go back and do it." He then actually returned, and re- 
stored the unmissed and unneeded fragment to its place. 
" Ay," thought we, for we were an observer, " this man is 
one of a thousand for keeping the golden rule. Such a 
man's moral path toward heavenly light shall be as clearly 
marked, as his footprints in the kindling dews are trace- 
able toward the rising day." 

The scene we then beheld is forever associated in mem- 
ory with the incident just related, and we will venture 
to describe it, as a sort of setting around the example now 



CONSCIENTIOUSNESS 57 

committed to the remembrance, and commended to the 
imitation of others. 

The afore-named traveller took a seat upon a cliff, just 
above an enormous chasm, made apparently by the in- 
pushing ocean, notching, as it were, the record of its cen- 
turies in the solid earth. The quartered moon, now on the 
rear of the retreating night, was yet quite undimmed. 
At a little distance, the morning star was beaming down 
like an eye of heavenly love. Some light, morn-tinged 
clouds now and then flitted across the luminaries, through 
which they still tenderly shone as through a transparent 
veil. But beneath, toward the horizon, what delicate 
hues, what broadening magnificence, and then what efful- 
gent glories, as the central sun drew near, and at length 
rounded up into sight ! At the same time, all this change- 
fulness of vapor-shapes and of coloring was reflected still 
more diversely from the billowy mirror of the sea — a sea 
of glory it was indeed ! 

At first a few birds scatteringly tuned, as it were, to the 
grand choir; but, as the scene deepened, the multitude of 
songsters burst forth in all the many-toned fulness of 
their morning orisons, the waves mingling their deep ac- 
cord as they rolled round the romantic shores. The great 
heart of Nature seemed in sublimest worship. And was 
there not sweet melody in the heart of man likewise? Of 
him, that just one, we can venture a conjecture. He who 
had so scrupulously performed his duty to his fellow-man, 
had well prepared for morning sacrifice to his Maker. 
Beyond all this gloriousness of the visible creation, this 
man, with piercing faith and worshipping love, must have 
beheld the Father of Lights. 

Dear friends, if this incident of life and scene of nature 
shall perish from your remembrance, still the duty of jus- 
tice in the least thing abides forever. Finally, do remem- 
ber, that though the imperceptible breach you may make 
in your neighbor's wall may cause him no harm, yet it may 
occasion a corresponding breach in the enclosure around 
your moral nature, which may grow deeper and wider, and 



58 UNCLE SAM'S LETTERS 

through it, at length, evil demons may leap, carrying in 
defilement and desolation. ) " 

But Conscientiousness comprehends still more within 
its office. It takes note of obedience or disobedience to all 
the known laws of the Creator. It proclaims universal and 
perfect temperance. Its precept is, " Eat and drink to live, 
and not live to eat and drink." It commands purity. Be- 
neath the light of Christianity it preaches, " Love God 
with the whole heart, and the neighbor even as self. Be 
ye perfect as the Heavenly Father is perfect." Finally, 
Conscientiousness is the Most High's selectest, even his 
vicegerent angel in the constitution of man; we have 
therefore spoken of it with deep seriousness, indeed with 
reverence, as of something which should inspire awe. W( 
have even ventured a monitory word, hoping that it might 
happen, like seed upon the wind, into some fruitful soil. 

One of the finest heads for the illustration of Con- 
scientiousness is that of John Jay, of distinguished mem- 
ory in the history of our country. His portrait is frequently 
to be met with, and ought to be in every home and on 
every memory as an image of virtuous excellence. Pray 
seek it, and mark how high the head is above the ear, and 
then how amply and symmetrically it rounds over, down- 
ward from the highest top. This fulness just above Cau- 
tiousness is caused by a very large organ of Conscientious- 
ness. We will now quote a few lines from his biography, 
showing how perfectly the phrenological form corresponds 
with his recorded character. 

"It would be difficult," says a late writer, "to point 
out a character in modern times more nearly allied to the 
Aristides drawn by Plutarch than that of John Jay. Jus- 
tice, stern and inflexible, holds the first place in his ex- 
alted mind. Yet Plutarch admits, i that although, in all 
his own private concerns and in those of his fellow-citizens, 
Aristides was inflexibly just, in affairs of state he did many 
things, according to the exigency of the case, to serve his 
country, which seemed often to have need of the assistance j 
of injustice.' In this respect the resemblance fails between ' 



FIRMNESS 59 

the ancient and the modern: John Jay never departed 
from the strictest rule of right; and the patriot and the 
Christian may equally point to him with admiration and 
applause." Well might the greatly conscientious Wash- 
ington appoint John Jay, the just, the first Chief- 
justice of the United States ! 



LETTEE XX. 

THE PILLAR OF STRENGTH. 

Firmness. 

We pass now to a principle on which the sure results of 
the others considerably depend. The sovereign expresses 
his will, but with what avail, unless he has resolution to 
enforce it? Exactly in front of Self-esteem, or Imperative- 
ness, as one calls it, and joining upon it, is the organ of Firm- 
ness. But government should be firm only in what is right; 
therefore, on each side of this is the organ of Justice, as 
before mentioned. Firmness is a central pillar, straight 
downward toward the earth, and straight upward toward 
heaven, against which the two divisions of Conscientious- 
ness are fastened. Here it clings in its lofty fastness, while 
it holds out the balance of Justice to the world. 

Firmness is all important to a republican statesman. 
Monarchs and their ministers are sustained by ancient and 
venerable usage, and by reverence for birth and rank. It 
is not so here. Amid the changes of opinion and veerings of 
party, the legislator and magistrate might be pushed from 
their deliberate convictions and just purposes were it not 
for their personal and constitutional firmness. When this 
is feeble, we soon observe vacillation. 

We must here introduce an illustration from public life, 
because it is so remarkable and convincing. We could 
point you, reader, to a portrait, which no doubt you have 






60 uncle sam's letters 

looked at a hundred times, and have been fastened by the 
deep-marked, iron-like countenance. You have said to 
yourself, perhaps, how perfectly that face expresses the \ 
character of the man. You would as soon expect the inex- * 
pressive bone to quiver with weakness as the features there 
represented. But the phrenologist glances above, and marks 
the " Pillar of Strength " to which this front of steel is 
joined by the concealed nerves — these like very metal wires. 
That height above the ear, how unequalled! it is caused by 
the organ of Firmness. Whom do we mean, think you? 
One whom his partial friends call the " Old Roman," and 
history honors as the hero of New Orleans, and the coun- 
try remembers as President of the United States. The 
nation knows, and the world has heard, that you might as 
well move a mountain top from the granite body in which 
it is centred as move that man from his deliberate purpose. 
All the political storms that rushed against him, or thunders 
that rolled around, stirred not him. If there was the least 
tremulous shake amid the encircling commotion, it was 
from the formidable fires within. To continue the figura- 
tive idea, how this man-mount towered up in his official 
altitude, holding the proximate clouds and catching their 
contributions, and then pouring down land-long rivers 
of effect ! 

Of General Jackson's acts, by which he manifested his 
extraordinary firmness, there are widely different opinions. 
On these we pretend not to decide. We simply present him 
as an illustration acknowledged by all to be true. 

But our country has been blessed with at least one exam- 
ple, wherein the whole nation and the world will allow that 
Conscientiousness and Firmness were co-equal and mightily 
strong. This was evident in the organization of his head; 
and his known character and his whole life were in perfect 
conformity. Such was the pre-eminently virtuous and im- 
movable Washington. The outstretched hands of a nation 
bore him gratefully to a seat of grandeur, compared with 
which hereditary thrones are but as shining dust beneath 
a freeman's footsteps. Yet those outstretched millions of 



FIRMNESS 61 

hands, with unanimous strength, could not have pushed him 
from the fastness and sublimity of his justice. 

The last four organs are called the " governing group. " 
You perceive how these follow the establishing group, in 
regular order upward. They have also beneath them, on 
each side, Combativeness, Destructiveness, and Acquisitive- 
ness, which, most of all the propensities, render government 
necessary. 

But we must not overlook the primitive and all-impor- 
tant use of the ruling principles in that more limited sphere 
of action, family authority. There would be but little sub- 
ordination in a young household without the activity of 
these at the head of it. Conscientiousness and Firmness 
are indispensable to the parent. Alas! how often do we 
see a deficiency in one or both of these, and what scenes 
of anarchy do some homes present! Among the many 
mothers, how few are firm! These few, how much to be 
admired, yea, reverenced, are they! Such a one is Grace 
Fairworth. Another we will here briefly notice. She began 
the moral education of her children by establishing her 
authority deeply and firmly in the earliest, tenderest one. 
Her look was their law; yet, when commanding, it was 
nothing but the look of commanding love. A gentler wom- 
an hardly could be; yet through this unbroken gentleness 
was her sufficiency of strength. She might be compared 
with a breeze, which, however lightly touching, turns not 
back. Yea, like sweetest perfume in the breeze was the 
felicity she bore into her household through her soft steadi- 
ness of power. Finally, to all parents, mothers especially, 
do we earnestly commend the study of Phrenology. It 
will somewhat aid a deficient Firmness to mount up and 
reach over a little. It will quicken Conscientiousness to 
keener vigilance in prompting other weak powers to action. 
It will enable you to concentrate all your higher faculties 
on the paramount object and duty of life — the education 
of those whom the supreme Sovereign and Parent has put 
under your responsible hands and enduring tenderness. 



62 UNCLE sam's letters 

LETTEE XXI. 

THE INDIVIDUALIZED 

Perception. 

We will now walk round to the front side of the brain- 
castle, and see how curiously constructed it is there. Your 
wonder will grow, we think, as you shall contemplate its ex- 
quisite and noble architecture in this quarter. But first 
look in another direction a moment. Cast the eye round the 
room or out of doors, how many separate and distinct things 
meet the view ! You might count millions of them, had you 
time. In fact, creation is all divided into portions of mat- 
ter — individual objects, that have an individual use. When 
you put out your hand to take hold of anything, it is a 
particular something, generally having a particular use. 
Indeed, when you think, it is not ordinarily of all creation, 
but of some definite part of it. When you notice, or have 
the thought of what are called qualities, as round, large, 
heavy, or colored, it is of these qualities as belonging to an 
individual portion of matter or object. 

Now please to turn about, and walk up to your looking- 
glass, and take note of what, to you, is probably a more im- 
portant object than any of those things you have just been 
observing — your own self. Now put the tips of two fingers 
right above the root of your nose, between the bending ends 
of the eyebrows. There, exactly under those finger-tips of 
yours, is the faculty, with its organ, which perceives your 
image to be something separate from the glass which reflects 
it — that separates yourself and everything from everything 
else. That is what phrenologists call Individuality, because 
it individualizes and separates object from object. Without 
this, all things material would seem one continuous mass. 
We should be likely to stand still and do nothing, because 
we should not distinguish what to lay hold on, unless it 
were all nature at once. Indeed, we should hardly feel our 
bodies to be our own: they would be fixtures, seemingly, 



FELLOWS WHICH STUDY QUALITIES G3 

in the great whole. But here we have a particularizing 
organ. It makes "people notice this, that, and the other as 
they go about their business. Those who have it small will 
enter a room or a town, and leave it without remembering 
much except that they have been in and come out again. 
They see very little, unless some of the other faculties induce 
them to awaken and fasten attention. 

This, then, is the first and most important of what are 
called the Perceptive faculties. It is of primary and central 
use, therefore the organ is central between the two eyes — 
the two avenues by which a knowledge of things external 
comes to the mind by sight. It is exactly central between 
the other organs which take note of the qualities of the 
thing which this has first designated. Where else would 
you have its position? Could you possibly conceive of a 
more appropriate one? 



LETTEE XXII. 

A PILE OF FINE FELLOWS 

"Which Study Qualities. 

Having an object individualized and distinctly before us, 
we now perceive that it has certain qualities. What one 
quality do we discern first, and most continually? You 
might at first, perhaps, say color; but just let a thick, cloudy 
night come, and, besides this, put all firelights out, and 
where is your color? But there are still other qualities to 
be found by your fingers. Which of these is generally the 
first and most perceptible ? Is it not the form of an object ? 
This is the quality first and most continually noticeable. 
Where, now, is the organ of Form? for there is one. It is 
at the corner of the eye, close in upon the lower part of 
Individuality, and the very first in the range of the Per- 
ceptive organs after the primary and central one. When 
large, the eyes are crowded widely apart. 



64 



UNCLE SAMS LETTERS 



There is another little circumstance showing the appro- 
priateness of this position. The line which separates one 
object from another, and renders it distinguishable as an 
individual, is likewise the line that bounds the form. See, 
therefore, how the one organ follows the other, conformably 
to the constitution of things ! 

We will embrace the other quality-organs in this letter, 
and take each as it stands. What comes next in natural 
order, according to our own consciousness? Is it not size 
of object and dimensions of space? These we can recognize 
by the touch in darkness, as well as by the eye in light. W"e 
are continually takiDg some note of the comparative dimen- 
sions of things, but not generally with that distinctness 
and accuracy with which we observe the previous quality. 
So Size comes second; and it is to be remarked, that the line 
which makes the form a figure is also the line which bounds 
the size or magnitude. 

Now see where this organ is. It is in contact with that 
of Form, a little sideways above it, and also cornering in 
upon Individuality. 

What next? Weight and resistance, the phrenologists 
say, it relates men and animals to the law of gravitation 
and balance. And is it not so in the nature of things? We 
can have the idea of weight by day and by night, but not 
through two senses, as it is with the other qualities men- 
tioned. It is somehow through the bodily nerves we get 
at this. Sight has directly nothing to do with it. So it is 
not so readily apprehensible as the others, and generally 
requires a more particular effort and application of the ap- 
propriate faculty. Of course, you perceive the organ of 
weight to be the third in order, farther along under the eye- 
brow. It being next to size, it may be well to remark that 
there is a sort of relation between the two; for the density 
of an object being given, the weight has a certain propor- 
tion to its size. We judge of the weight of things we are 
acquainted with by their size. You see, therefore, the rela- 
tion of one to the other, and how appropriate they conjoin. 

Mr. Combe and others have considerable nice philosop^ 



COLOR 65 

about this faculty, and, indeed, all the rest. Pray read 
these better writers: our business is a more humble one; 
that is, just to beckon you on and show the way. 

We come now to the next of those absolute qualities of 
objects to which distinct organs have been discovered and 
acknowledged by phrenologists generally. This is Color. 
Who but a blind man can doubt the existence of this? And 
who, after going thus far with us, can doubt a distinct fac- 
ulty to take note of it ? for this is something altogether un- 
like the other qualities of objects. Indeed, it is not a real 
quality of them, but of the light that falls on them and 
is reflected to the eye; in a thick night, where is it, out of 
doors, excepting the other side of the globe, and faintly 
above the clouds. You perceive, therefore, a natural and 
sufficient reason why this should be the fourth in order. 
Where, now, is the organ? Just under the top of the arch 
of the brow, or, rather, a little the outside of it. It is the 
most central of all the organs which are close about the eye, 
for it more uses the eye, and, indeed, could do nothing with- 
out it, as the others can. Its existence cannot be doubted by 
those who have carefully and candidly observed. 

All know that there are some people who are in rapture 
with the charms of color. There are others who care not 
the twinkle of an eye about them. They see in the very 
rainbow not much, but something, which has a capital bend 
in it. The blind sometimes have a depression at the centre of 
the eyebrow. Come to inquire, they would put one color for 
another, or for no color at all, as we may say, just as if the 
sun had dashed but half his pencil upon the retina, and 
then snatched it away again. Poor painters would they 
have made ! Trust not such to pick out tasteful dresses 
for thee. 

But we have got through with this little company of 
Perceptives, standing in single file, and marshalled each 
side of their commander-in-chief in the centre, to whom we 
first paid our respects. With what curious, what regular, 
what perfect discipline they come along, one after another, 
as their captain in front has to do with them. 









66 



UNCLE SAM'S LETTERS 



LETTEE XXIII. 

OBDEB, THERE, OBDEB! 

Method — System. 

At the very extremity of these wings is another fine fel- 
low, who may be said to be the orderly-sergeant of the line. 
At any rate, his name is Order; and if his office is not par- 
ticularly to look to the arrangement of this field of duty, 
he sees to the arrangement on all other fields where he 
happens to go. But we cannot so well perceive his place, 
action, and usefulness through such a mist of metaphor, 
so we will get out of it. 

We cannot but observe in all the things of nature a cer- 
tain regular arrangement, a particular order in which they 
stand still together, or play upon each other when at work. 
Notice the plants, the trees, man's frame, the globes of 
heaven — we cannot go higher, though we can lower and 
more minutely. It is the same in the things of human con- 
struction. Part answers to part in position, or strikes upon 
another part in action, as in the wheels of a machine. So, 
also, in regard to buildings, furniture, and utensils, there 
are appropriate positions. Hence the adage, " A place for 
everything, and everything in its place." This arrange- 
ment is permanently perceptible in nature, and most people 
are disturbed by any considerable absence of it in art. 

Now Order is not the quality of one individual portion of 
matter, or of a single object, but a relation of one individual 
to another; the particular situation of an object or a part of 
an object, in respect to the situation of another object or 
part. Must there not be, then, a distinct faculty to appre- 
hend this relation? Verily there is; and a phrenologist can 
as easily put his finger on its organ, as he could on the nose 
in its neighborhood. It is at the end of the line of the qual- 
ity-organs next to that of Color, directly above the outside 
corner of the eye, and gives squareness to that part of the 



ORDER METHOD 67 

brow. If you doubt its existence, just examine this spot 
in the head of the neatest housewife you know of, and you 
will find it prominent. 

Before closing this letter, let a word be' offered against an 
objection often made to Phrenology, in respect to the close- 
compacted file of organs just described. " Poh ! " exclaim 
some, " there cannot be so many organs packed and pinched 
in like this." Let the answer to all such, objectors be that 
given by a phrenologist to an astronomical professor. 

" Preposterous ! " was the utterance of the grandiloquent 
star-gazer, " preposterous to give credence for a moment to 
the idea that so numerous a company of organs should hold 
their position, and perform such important operations, in 
that little semicircle above the orb of vision. I should as 
soon believe the meteoric illuminations that sometimes ap- 
pear in the night were falling stars. This new science of 
Phrenology is but the scintillation of a fanciful intellect. 
It is altogether illusive." The professor, you see, had been 
living in immensity, computing worlds, and racing after 
comets. The minute perfections of brain-work were in- 
comprehensible to this infinitudinarian. He felt that he 
carried his whole head with him on his cerulean excursions, 
as he would have expressed it. After this tremendous ex- 
plosion from his loftiness had done echoing in his ear, the 
phrenologist very quietly asked if he believed the brain, 
as a whole, to be the organ of the mind. " Certainly I do," 
was the reply. " How many fixed stars have already been 
discovered ? " continued the querist. " About eighty mill- 
ions already, and, with improved instruments, more and 
more will probably be brought within the range of vision. 
Astronomy is a science as boundless as it is transcendently 
magnificent." " Well," rejoined the phrenologist, with a 
queer look he could not help, "there is nothing preposter- 
ous, I presume, in the fact that a little lump of brain, within 
a little cover of a skull, should be the instrument to take in 
this world, and the rest of the solar system, and all those 
eighty millions of suns, and to imagine, besides, millions 
after millions, and their worlds about them, still beyond in 



68 



UNCLE SAMS LETTERS 



the boundless universe. There is no disproportion here 
between the smallness of the organ and the greatness of the 
work, is there ? " The professor colored a little, but the 
phrenologist thought the hue not yet quite deep enough, 
so he questioned on. " When you look upward at night, 
you can see a large portion of the heavens and their thou- 
sand visible stars? " He nodded assent. " Well, this large 
portion of the concave is all taken into that little organ, the 
eye, not an inch in diameter? " The astronomer looked up, 
then down, then took out his watch and looked at that. 
The catechism continued. " Does not all this vastness of 
view — it may be cloud, azure, and stars — somehow or other 
image itself on that tiny tablet the retina? You perceive 
no disproportion here, do you, between the minuteness of 
tne instrument and the mightiness of the operation ? " The 
professor of the immense had by this time restored his watch 
to his fob, and ejaculating a feeble Oh! or Ah! stalked sub- 
limely away. It is possible that, after he had got out of 
sight, he might stoop down to reflect that the supposition 
of such minute divisions of brain about the eye was not 
altogether preposterous, and that, if they did really exist, 
they were large and strong enough to stand a comparison 
with some other mighty little things he did acknowledge to 
exist. 

LETTEE XXIV. 

THE ACCOUNTANT. 

Calculation. 



We will now just turn a corner, and pay our respects to 
a clerkly character — the accountant to the brainy world. 
He even helped that supercilious star-hunter to keep tally 
of his game. His eighty million of stars would have been, 
in thought at least, hardly more than an inseparable mass, 
a sort of ray-mist, without this clever master at figures. 

But just see where his desk is. There would not be room 






CALCULATION 69 

for it amid the close press of that busy throng which search 
after the properties of bodies. He, in general, has rather 
bigger work, keeping count of all great things as well as 
little things, and all their qualities besides. Like Individ- 
uality at the centre between the two wings of the company, 
he is a more considerable personage. Indeed, Individuality 
is his coadjutor in the business. There is an intimate under- 
standing and communication between them, without which 
accounts could not possibly be kept. But the stand, where 
is it? Just round the corner of the eye, where there is 
ample room to put forth strength to count the sifted sands, 
or the stars that need no sifting, as Individuality shall for- 
ward them to notice. To speak more plainly, we know that 
numerical calculation is a more intricate and complicated 
operation than that of just looking out at the eyes and ob- 
serving the order in which things are placed. A child may 
notice order, and does do it in its early existence; but he 
does not count to a very great extent, and certainly does not 
perform the more complex business of numbers till consid- 
erably advanced in years. For instance, let a magnet be put 
among iron filings, and how the little particles, as if alive, 
will leap and arrange themselves, running along in little 
rows after the attractor. Now an infant would notice the 
curious order, but even a grown person would find it slow 
work to enumerate the lively multitude. At any rate, this 
example shows which is noted first by the mind, order or 
number. So we perceive that Nature has here put that first 
which we should naturally suppose ought to precede, to 
conform to the regularity observed in the afore-named or- 
gans. We fancy, too, that Number has a larger organ than 
those faculties which take care of qualities, and, conse- 
quently, is furnished with more room in its outside position. 
Ye merchants and bank directors, would it not be well 
to ask Phrenology what talent for calculation one may pos- 
sess, before you intrust him with your highest numerical 
responsibilities? 



70 uncle sam's letteks 

LETTEE XXV. 

THE REGISTER OF DEEDS. 

Eventuality. 

We move round to the front again, and mount above the 
nose. We will first call on Individuality, as we shall need 
the aid of this character to help us get fairly at another one. 
The material objects which Individuality points out are 
capable of action. Living things move of themselves, and 
the particles and masses of inanimate matter may be made 
to move by the application of adequate force. Nature is 
everywhere in motion, more or less. Now this action is a 
subject of observation altogether different from the thing 
which acts. We look at a man, and have a distinct idea of 
him as a man, but when he walks there is an entirely new 
perception. Now is it not rational to suppose a distinct 
faculty which takes note of motion? An organ for this pur- 
pose has been discovered. See in what perfect order comes 
its position. It is exactly above, and joining upon Individ- 
uality. It is termed Eventuality. " There is a man," says 
Individuality, in the first place, whether he remain still or 
not. " Look! he is going, or doing this or that," observes 
Eventuality, from his also central but secondary station. 

This faculty takes notice of past events, as well as those 
presently happening. It remembers those personally wit- 
nessed, and gets at those observed by others through the 
language of narration, and remembers them also. What 
would the past be worth without Eventuality? Through 
this, " History teaches by instances," as the adage is, " and 
Experience communicates its wisdom." 

Herodotus and Xenophon, Livy and Tacitus! would that 
we possessed your skulls, to exhibit developments to modern 
Doubt, which it could grasp with its bungling fingers. But 
we have Jared Sparks and George Bancroft living among 
us — historians of our own land and liberties. We will rest 
the evidences on their heads. We know that they abound in 






Y\ 



REGISTER OF DEEDS — EVENTUALITY 71 

brain to make these organs of, or our faculty of Size is a 
magnifying-glass. John Quincy Adams, that living chron- 
icle of all that is political or is past to any valuable purpose, 
must also be a specimen. His many years of jotting down, 
day by day, niust have pushed out his Eventuality, jot by jot, 
sufficient for an argument to hang upon. What could Con- 
gress do were it not for this memory-oracle to consult in 
time of need ? But there is one thing he remembers aston- 
ishingly for a man of his age and previous dignity of station: 
it is — always to be in his place and do his duty, however 
hard and humble it may be. 

We would now direct attention to a certain senator at the 
Capitol. He is a stout, thick-set man, with brown hair, and 
a complexion to match. His constitution seems to be made 
for hard work — at any rate, he has a disposition for it. He 
sits surrounded by more numerous utensils of the legislative 
vocation than most of his compeers. His desk is piled with 
books and documents to a degree that it would make a 
large portion of his constituents ache to think of looking 
through them. No matter: they have intrusted this kind 
of tools to one who has been as industrious in their use as 
ever they were with axe, rifle, or ledger. Many imagine 
him to have remarkable skill in political mechanics. One 
thing is quite generally known, viz., that he is an earnest 
advocate for constructing machinery, called the financial, 
of solid materials; nothing less than gold, at least silver 
wheels, will satisfy his inventive ingenuity. 

This individual is Thomas H. Benton. We have intro- 
duced him, however, not so much to speak of his general 
character, as to present to notice his well-known aptness 
at events. But, in the first place, he possesses extraordinary 
Individuality. His forehead heaves out just above the root 
of his nose so protuberantly, that you might almost take the 
organ between thumb and finger, handle-like. This enor- 
mous Individualizer holds in the most distinct view the actor 
or object from which an event proceeds. Now when, in con- 
nection with this, Eventuality is also uncommonly large and 
active, what a marvel must he not be in noticing and remem- 



72 



UNCLE SAM S LETTERS 



bering the doers and doings of the world! He will martial 
his facts on the field of debate as a general would an army 
— companies, battalions, regiments of them: this, too, with 
the pictured banners of rhetoric streaming and fluttering 
over in grand and exciting array. But when the host is 
drawn out in another form, or another muster-ground, what 
a very prairie of newspaper do these Missourians take to 
stand on ! But, reader, if you cannot get nearer to the 
Western legislator than the gallery of the Senate Chamber, 
we can tell you where you can put your hand upon what 
looks as much like him as ever inanimate matter of the sort 
looked like an animate man. It is at Fowler's Phrenological 
Eooms in New York. Pray go; and with respect to the 
science, study the bust of the senator. Keep this " ball in 
motion." 

The young pen-champion of England's humble life has 
come to look at life and land, high and low, here. Phrenol- 
ogy exclaims as loud as any, " Welcome, Boz ! " for she is 
a philanthropist as well as a philosopher. While she shall 
hold out one hand in cordial greeting, she will put the 
other, with a glad confidence, upon his head. He who could 
so follow the track, watch the motions, and note the deeds 
of poverty through its dusky labyrinths, and describe them 
with such elaborate fulness and such sympathetic tender- 
ness, must himself be an all-convincing Fact. 






LETTEE XXVI. 



WHITHER AND WHERE. 



Locality, the Geographer. 

Another faculty, and its organ. When we notice an in- 
dividual object, we look in a definite direction, and find it 
occupying a certain portion of space. It is this way or that 
way from us, and in this place or that. Now the faculty 
of form, size, and color may take note of the spot as it re- 
gards these qualities, but the direction is a distinct idea; 



WHITHER AND WHENCE LOCALITY 73 

it is like nothing else. We have an organ for this percep- 
tion, termed Locality. 

As individuals exist and events happen in a certain direc- 
tion or in a certain place, as is the more common language,, 
this organ is put on each side of Individuality and Eventual- 
ity, jutting in between the two. Those who have this large, 
are not likely to lose their way in going anywhere the sec- 
ond time. Indeed, the very sun might as well be expected 
to take the wrong road now and then of a morning, as some 
men we have seen. 

Travel-loving people generally have more than the or- 
dinary prominence here. We have met a schoolmaster who 
would winter every year in a different district. He had 
ranged all over the States, seemingly in pursuit of pedagogu- 
ing and pence, but really lured by his taste for travelling. 
He could tell every town, tavern, and guide-board between 
Cape Cod and Cincinnati. His organ of Locality heaved 
up and jutted over his eye like a cliff above a cavern. There 
is a blind man in Boston, a distributor of newspapers, who 
is truly wonderful for his science of the streets, crinkling 
about among the notions there. He has been all his life 
determining directions, so as not to miss his object or his 
way by hand or foot. Locality is an absolute enormity in 
his head. 

Military officers of long service generally have this organ 
large. They have been obliged, more than most, to study 
and remember localities. They must see which way to 
march, where to encamp, in what quarter the enemy is; 
and in battle, especially, they must have an eye in as many 
directions as there are points of mutual attack and defence ; 
of course, if use makes an organ grow large and strong, 
here is a plenty of this sort of incitement. Just look at the 
portraits of our past distinguished commanders, or at the 
heads of our present ones, and see if it is not so. 

There is one fact particularly worthy of notice. Several 
of our generalissimos have not only been acquainted with 
the localities around our clanger-bound frontiers, but have 
manifested most remarkable distinctness of conception in 



74 uncle sam's letters 

relation to the seat of government, although so far away 
from it. At any rate, two of them found their way there 
from far border points, and camped comfortably down, 
quite to the amazement of about half of the whole nation. 
Many begin to suspect that General Scott, like two or three 
others, has this capital development of direction. One 
thing is certain: he is an enormously tall man, well-propor- 
tioned, too, and takes long strides and travels easy. He 
could outmarch many a shorter man, and go over a great 
deal of ground in three or four years. Old Niagara, some 
say, is spouting and shouting his praises all the time; or, 
as others would express it, is echoing thunder that was 
made round about there a few years ago. It is reported 
that the thousand-plumed chief of the cataracts unfolds 
something like Scott's old Chippewa and Bridgewater ban- 
ners every sunny morning. Some grand thunder-cloud may 
possibly bear a similar token over Washington City and the 
Potomac yet; somewhat like the insignia of Peace around 
the shoulder of War.* 

But we are no respecter of persons; we simply record 
facts, reports, and appearances, by way of illustration and 
embellishment. 

LETTEE XXVII. 

THE TIMEPIECE. 

But there is a when as well as a where to the happening 
of events. Time is an altogether new and distinct idea. 
It is not an object, or a quality, or an action. What is it, 
then? It is Time, and this is all the philosophy about the 
idea which this very Time will now give us leisure for. Nat- 
ure has furnished a faculty, and an organ for it: and it is 
just where we might suppose it to be, joining upon the side 
of Locality, which determines the place of things that exist. 
and of events that happen in duration. 

Let us now exemplify the operation of these last four 

* General Scott was a candidate for the presidency in 1848. 



NEW PICTURE OF " TIME " 75 

organs in the order in which they stand, and in which, also, 
they present ideas to the consciousness. The teacher enters 
the schoolroom at nine o'clock. You perceive that the fac- 
ulties which, in immediate succession, take note of these 
circumstances, are not obliged to call one to another from 
different quarters of the head, that each may go about its 
successive duty. We like to give Doubt a dab now and then, 
and ask him, " How comes this close companionship ? " 

It is suggested to the picture-makers to be more philo- 
sophical and tasteful, in sketching the impersonations of 
Time.* We would have him drop his old scythe; he has 
been imagined to carry it long enough. He is no mower; 
he simply watches the when and how long of influences and 
appearances connected with the growth and the harvest. 
It is Destructiveness that cuts down. It is not he, more- 
over, who kills off the animate world; it is the character just 
mentioned, or ignorant Transgression, wilful Sin, or old, 
stealthy Decay. We would not have him described as bah! 
and decrepit, for he is ever the fresh and full-lifed now. He 
looks back through the eventful ages, and keeps their date, 
but his most active and useful vocation is with the present. 
We would paint him a glowing and lovely youth, the angel- 
friend of all living. He should be placed on earth's loftiest 
observatory, the mountain top, there to have been watch- 
ing the clockwork of stars, if you please to suppose, but pic- 
torially presented, just as the pinnacle is kindling up with 
the first beam of dawn. With one hand he should point 
back to the departing night, with the other to the gladden- 
ing heavens, while his welcoming face should be toward the 
approaching sun. There he would be, as if early ready to 
note the hours and the moments for virtuous industry 
through the day; indicating, also, the futurity that mighl: 
yet descend from these visible skies, or which will be found 
in the invisible and receiving eternity beyond. * 

This sentinel of the seasons might convey another in- 
structive meaning. He might be imagined to point back to 

* See frontispiece. 



76 Ux\cle sam^ letters 

the retreating darkness of error, and look forward to the ris- 
ing light of truth; and, lastly, signify that celestial direction 
toward which Truth illumines the way. But ancient usage 
is inexorably steadfast, especially when sanctioned and con- 
firmed by the honored powers of literature. Even we have 
fallen under its influence, and drawn figures from flying 
Time. But we abominate the horrid scythe and bald head. 
If he must have wings, to us they shall be those of a benig- 
nant angel, growing more glorious as he onward speeds. 

LETTER XXVIII. J 

MUSICAL. 

Tune — Melody, Harmony. 

Sound is something different from everything else, and 
music is a particular quality of sound. If any perception re- 
quires a special faculty and portion of brain to present it, 
surely it is this. Melody must have a medium to the soul. 
Behold, then, the organ of Tune, how snug in its own most 
appropriate corner, immediately surrounded by the several 
other faculties which help music to its charm or prompt 
it to utterance. First, Tune is a nervous creature, and would 
get into very unpleasant differences with the sisters of the 
craft, without Time to measure spaces and keep performers 
abreast in their march of harmonies. So the former is put 
in the same range with the latter, and side by side with it, 
in the most convenient position to receive its aid. Next, this 
organ is placed just above Order, at the corner of the eye; 
a capital convenience, inasmuch as a definite arrangement 
is to be observed in respect to the sounds and signs of the 
melodious art. Order sees that the notes come one above 
another, and one after another, with scientific method along 
the scale. Finally, Tune gets an impulse, and is put into 
life, if nothing more, by another faculty, to which we will 
pass through a little piece of anecdote: 



THE MASTER OF SPORTS 77 



a 



Well," exclaimed a phrenologist to a youngster, in 
whom he perceived a prodigious development of Tune; 
u well, I guess you try to sing now and then." " I guess I 
don't," was the reply. " Don't! " exclaimed the phrenolo- 
gist, with some surprise; " don't try to sing! Are you cer- 
tain? " " Yes," replied the funny youth, " for I generally 
sing without trying! " 



LETTEE XXIX. 

THE MASTER OF SPORTS. 

Mirthfulness. 

That lad who made you end the last letter so smilingly, 
must have had Mirthfulness with his music, as the phrenol- 
ogist could perceive by casting his eye to an organ just 
above, and joining on the organ of Tune. Mirthfulness 
is a sentiment, not an intellectual faculty, like the few 
last mentioned; but we will describe it here for conven- 
ience's sake, although it is rather out of order. So let us 
philosophize a little about this master of sports to the estab- 
lishment. Children like to play; youth will have amuse- 
ment; middle life likes its merry times; and old age enjoys 
a pastime; and all ages can laugh " without trying," as that 
fellow did his singing. Now this playfulness of soul is born 
with us, and does not die till we do, unless, at last, it takes 
our disease, and dies off a little before us, it may be. In- 
deed, what a piece of leaden dulness the world would be, 
what a miserable monotone life, without this gladdening 
feeling. We might as well have had sunshine without 
colors, or sound without song, as our nature without this. 

Now for its place, whence it gladdens and giggles forth. 
It touches from above on the organ of Tune. Please mark 
this handy connection. There is no feeling that so easily 
and naturally sets Tune to work as Mirthfulness. Next to 
laughter, singing is its natural language. 



I 



78 uncle sam's letters 

The ancient precept has a phrenological propriety in it, 
therefore: "Is any merry, let him sing psalms/' We may 
venture to presume that the author of it meant something 
livelier than a dirge. 

Phrenologists do not exactly agree in respect to the name 
of the organ of Mirthfulness. Grimes has applied a new 
name, Playfulness. Others call it the organ of Wit and 
Humor. 



LETTEE XXX. 

a bird's-eye view. 

The Perceptive Group. 






The eleven faculties last considered, not counting Mirth- 
fulness, are termed the Perceptives. They take note of ob- 
jects, their qualities and relations. Men, with the organs 
of these large, are men of affairs, practical men. They know 
just where to put their fingers to get hold of anything, and 
just what twist to give in order to keep hold. There are 
some people to whom order is chaos, because .of the con- 
fusion of their own heads. They are all the time in the 
same predicament that a boy is for a moment after whirl- 
ing round for fun: although he has stopped, he seems to be 
whirling round still. If he tries to pick up his fallen cap, 
he runs the risk of tumbling his bare head farther than ever 
from its covering. Such have weak perceptions. 

Of all these faculties, perhaps Individuality is the most 
important, taking the lead, and guiding all the rest. The 
object, and exactly the object, and no other, is the first con- 
sideration. Should you seek eggs and get hold of nothing 
but pebbles, your chickens would be few, or your breakfast 
a hard one. Or, should you fancy yourself injured, and aim 
a right retributive blow at the injurer, and by mistake knock 
down your best friend, he would be likely to keep at a farther 
distance in the future than would, perhaps, suit your con- 



THE PERCEPTIVE GROUP 79 

venience, or, at least, your affection. First, then, get the 
individual object fast before the attention, and then you 
can scrutinize the qualities more or less accurately, accord- 
ing to the strength of the appropriate faculties. But it is 
desirable that these quality-organs should be strong, so 
that you can tell exactly whether a man be straight or 
crooked, tall or short, black, white, or chocolate-color; and 
so of things. 

Then the order in which you proceed, and the number 
that does, or should appertain to an affair, are relations of 
consequence. 

Next, there must be no mistake about the actions of in- 
dividuals. Should you tax a man with picking your pocket, 
when he had been only tucking back a handkerchief you 
were just letting drop, it would be a very provoking mis- 
take. 

Again, look out for the place where. To set your foot 
into a mudhole on the road, or on your own creeping babe 
at home, would be incidents not particularly agreeable; 
yet there are many who are ever doing something very much 
like this. 

Time, too, is of great consequence in the practical ac- 
count, inasmuch as it is'not always just there, and there only 
for you to find, as it is with Place. It will not stop for you. 
Yesterday cannot be turned into to-day, if to-morrow can 
be. Should you be the sole invited guest to dine with a 
respected friend, and should not appear till two hours after 
the appointed o'clock, you might keep a starving family 
waiting one whole hour, and be too late for your own social 
repast by another whole one. There are a great many too- 
late-in-the-afternoon folks in the world. 

As for Tune, one mav have it or not, and still do toler- 
ably well, excepting the pleasure of music. Still, there 
should be ever such a perception of Tune as not to mistake 
a dirge for a dancing tune, and so think of " taking steps " 
at a funeral. 

Finally, it is well to have all these powers so sufficiently 
developed as not to mistake a church and its Sabbath-day 



8Q UNCLE SAM'S LETTERS 

worshippers for a tavern and a political caucus. Equally 
important, if not exactly similar mistakes to such, have 
often been made, both in public and private life, just for 
the lack of Perception. 

Let us now illustrate by example. There is a tall, sandy- 
haired, blue-eyed individual, sixty years old or more, who 
occupies a seat in the Senate at the Capitol. He has not 
what would be called a handsome face, but one of the liveli- 
est, or, if we may so speak, one of the most looking faces 
that ever fronted a head. It is because he has a looking or- 
ganization. You catch not him asleep or moping. He 
seems to see everybody that comes in or goes out, and, be- 
sides, to have an eye on, and an ear for, whatever " honor- 
able " senator may occupy the field of debate. If his own 
marked political game is on foot, he is then Nimrod, a 
mighty hunter. He can see just what fissure of inconsis- 
tency, nook of sophism, or covert of rhetoric is made a hid- 
ing-place. At the right moment, he aims a rifle pretty sure 
to hit if his powder is good; and his friends say that he uses 
only the best. Grand fun it is to stand by, and see this keen 
sportsman crack off, and especially to hear him wind " the 
mellow, mellow horn " which his mother gave him a long 
while ago. 

To leave our hunting-ground metaphor for the plain 
beaten way, this individual is the veteran statesman from 
Kentucky. Now just come and look at his head, or seek 
his portrait at least. You will see how his Perceptives put 
themselves forth in front, just as if they were reaching after 
their objects, as it were, for a long pull and a strong pull, 
to fetch them into keeping. Then in speech, with what 
ease, grace, order, and effect he can fling forth his gather- 
ings. His mind has been developed by the exciting cir- 
cumstances of active life rather than by speculations of 
quiet books. Henry Clay is therefore a practical man. He 
is pre-eminently perceptive. He knows the whom, the what, 
the where, the when, the which first, and the how many, 
as well, perhaps, as any public man living. A very long 
political life has put him to the test. "We do not aver that 






PERCEPTIVE GROUP. 81 

lie never made mistakes, or that he is politically and posi- 
tively right; we intimate, moreover, nothing to the con- 
trary. We would simply convey, that of all the great states- 
men of our country, he particularly illustrates the faculties 
just had under review. 

It is rumored that the afore-named statesman is about to 
leave the Senate. It if be so, would that a few words penned 
in this humble work might reach his eye, and waken the 
deepest convictions of duty in his talented soul. Distin- 
guished Sir! As on your homeward way you shall stand on 
the Alleghany, and gaze down on that thousand-leagued 
and teeming valley, behold another field of labor which you ' 
might enter on with unrivalled effect. It is that of advo- 
cating the all-paramount cause of Popular Education — the 
physical, intellectual, and moral culture of the common peo- 
ple, and the whole people. 

" Do you yet aspire to the presidency ? The presidency ! 
What is it but the office of first and highest-paid tender on 
a great, cold, though necessary machine; the incumbent 
harassed by the cares of place, and crazed with the jarring 
wheels. There is honor, indeed, in the duty well done, but 
it is an honor which shall be less and less esteemed as the 
world grows Aviser, and true dignity and glory shall be un- 
derstood.. But the Educator — he is newness of life to the 
living, yea, a very awakener of the dead. Such you now 
may become. With your broad influence of character, you 
might expand yourself, like a spirit of heavenly blessing, 
over the land, yea, through the souls of those Western mill- 
ions. The chief magistracy is comparatively but a poor 
prize of ambition. If you grasp it, you are but one, some- 
where along in a lengthening line of possessors. But, sir, 
with that melodious voice and glowing soul, by which you 
have held listening senates and thronged galleries spell- 
bound year after year, return to your magnificent valley; 
stand up among the great assemblies of the people, men and 
women, fathers and mothers, old and young — all attracted 
by your forty years' fame; yes, there stand, unfold, convince, 
spellbind, in advocating man's chief and heaven-appointed 
6 



82 uncle sam's letters 

work on earth — Education. Then you shall crown your 
long public life with a glory much purer and richer than 
that said to be coveted, as the diffusive vitalizing light is 
purer and richer than the cold, stationary stone of an official 
palace. What an illustrious magistracy then would be 
yours — that over the immortal domains of Mind! You shall 
not only be called the first Great Orator, but the first 
Great Educator of the West. By inspiring to the -develop- 
ment of intellect, heart, and conscience, how would those 
barbarous murders cease, and brawling tongues be stopped ! 
How would your genial influence steal, purifying, through 
neighborhoods, and kindle the light of instruction in many 
and many a home! 0, how would you weave throughout 
those yet rude regions the reconcilements of love! You 
would be a pacificator indeed, and your own latter days 
would be sweetened with the peace you had bestowed! 



LETTER XXXI. 

A SHARP ONE. 

Comparison. 

A most common exercise of the mind is that of compar- 
ing one thing with another, to see how they resemble or dif- 
fer. We wish to distinguish which from which in making, 
buying, arranging, and using things. The farmer sorts 
his corn, putting the sound into one basket, and the un- 
sound into another. The trader sorts his goods, putting 
kind with kind, that, when he wishes to push off a poor 
article, he may know where to put his hand on it. But the 
purchaser sorts too, it may be, and sorts the better from the 
worse, and will have that or none. The people sort them- 
selves in society, discriminating between higher and lower 
condition, and refined or vulgar manners. They also sort 
themselves at elections, picking out those from the mass 
who will best serve their common interests. Now all this 



COMPARISON 83 

sorting is done by putting things and persons side by side, 
and finding the difference. This act of the mind is Compar- 
ison. 

Again, in arranging things in classes, we compare to- 
gether plants, trees, and animals, and those that are alike 
in certain points we designate by a particular name, com- 
mon to them as a class; such as potato, walnut, horse. In 
this way the numerous objects of nature have been classi- 
fied in the sciences. 

Again, we compare together actions of events. For in- 
stance, we compare the conduct of one person with that 
of another, and thus estimate character. We compare proc- 
esses and operations of nature; those that resemble in kind 
we call by a particular term, such as Chemistry, Astronomy, 
etc. Here is another instance of the use of Comparison in 
science. 

Now is not this a distinct exercise of the mind, differing 
from every other with which we are acquainted ? It is gen- 
erally so considered. Then, in conformity with what we 
have already observed, it should have a distinct organ in the 
brain. Such an organ has been discovered. Judging from 
what we know of the other organs, should not this have a 
position which shall appear peculiarly appropriate, exactly 
the place above all others? 

Let us now see. Comparison makes a perpendicular line 
with Individuality and Eventuality, being just above, and 
touching on the latter, central in the forehead. How ad- 
mirably adapted is its location! We have seen that it is in- 
dividuals, or their actions, with which the faculty has more 
particularly to do; and here it is, directly above the faculties 
which furnish objects and events for its discriminating 
powers. 

It is this faculty which perceives resemblances or anal- 
ogies all round the universe, whereby to illustrate any sub- 
ject of thought or speech. Those speakers and writers who 
abound in similes and metaphors have it large. Just look 
at Benton and Preston in the Senate, and see if it is not so 
with them, in connection with remarkable aptness at words. 



84 uncle sam's letters 

Poets are full here, as anyone can aver who has phreno- 
logically looked at Bryant or any other distinguished poet. 

Wits have it large, possessing also much Mirthfulness, 
to set it to work in the right way. 

When the fierce little faculty just above the ear is un- 
commonly large and active, Wit is very likely to gripe and 
bite an opponent, as well as tickle a bystander. Its name, 
then, is Satire. Those in whom this three-organed imp, 
Satire, is incarnate, have fearful powers, and are sometimes 
as merciless as they are mighty. They will not only put 
their fangs into a single victim, but, with more than boa- 
constrictor length and strength, infold a hundred in their 
coil, and dart in their biters. Young Byron once did so by 
certain vexatious people, and squeezed all their breath out 
of their bodies, champing them to mince-meat. At any rate, 
they had not wind enough left to make their mouth-works 
go again to his harm. 

Politicians with this possession sometimes cause one of 
the two party monsters to ache from top to toe, so that he 
can do nothing but scream and call hard names as he catches 
his vengeful breath. Would that both of them might get 
such bites and gripes that they would dare to seek and say 
nothing but the truth for three months to come: then that 
puzzle, the Financial Question, would be worked out, and 
ready for national proof, with that certain and satisfactory 
success w T hich honest diligence always meets with. When 
will that ancient schoolmaster get abroad again— Washing- 
tonian Patriotism? 



LETTEE XXXII. 

WHENCE AND WHY. 

Causality. 

Next to Comparison comes Causality, the other of the 
only two Reflective faculties as yet discovered. All ac- 



WHENCE AND WHY CAUSALITY 85 

knowledge that there is a power of the mind called Eeason: 
Causality is but another name for it. But let us show more 
distinctly what it does; for this purpose we will quote from 
Grimes, as he presents the subject with great clearness and 
simplicity. 

" Causality is the perception of dependence and connec- 
tion. Everything in existence is more or less intimately 
related to every other thing. But when the relation of one 
thing to another is such that it always must precede it, 
it is said to be its cause, and that which is thus preceded is 
called an effect. This effect may in turn become a cause, 
and produce another effect, and so on to infinity, constitut- 
ing a chain of causes and effects, which is called a concate- 
nation. That cause which immediately precedes an effect 
is called the immediate cause, and all the other links in the 
chain of causation are remote causes. So, also, those effects 
which immediately follow a cause are called immediate ef- 
fects, and all others are remote effects. Now it is the func- 
tion of the faculty of Causality to perceive the relation 
among phenomena which constitutes cause and effect. It 
perceives the dependence of one thing upon another, or of 
one event upon another, or of one phenomenon of any kind 
upon some other. Thus it perceives the dependence of the 
rivers upon their tributary streams — the dependence of the 
streams upon the springs — of the springs upon the rains — ■ 
of the rains upon the clouds — of the clouds upon evapora- 
tion — of evaporation upon heat — of heat upon the sun — 
and the dependence of all these phenomena upon the laws 
of gravitation/' 

We present, also, some passages from Fowler. " That 
the faculty in man which regards every phenomenon or 
result in nature as the product of some antecedent cause, 
is innate, and its operations intuitive, may, moreover, be 
justly inferred from the fact that he is naturally prone to 
demand a reason for everything — to ask why it is so. That 
this faculty in man is innate, is still farther evident from 
the fact that this cause-seeking disposition is strikingly 
evinced in children. Almost as soon as they begin to make 



86 uncle sam's letters 

observations, they also begin to inquire why things are so — 
to investigate the causes, reasons, and uses of things. 

" Of all the human faculties, Causality is undoubtedly 
the most important, if, indeed, a preference may be given 
to one faculty over another, as it gives that depth, and 
strength, and solidity to the mind so necessary to the proper 
guidance and direction of the other faculties, and without 
which man could scarcely be accounted a rational being. 
It is, in fact, that faculty which, above all others, so pre- 
eminently distinguishes man from the brute, and enables 
him to stand forth in majestic dignity as the lord of this 
lower creation. With this faculty largely developed, and 
aided by Comparison, man is capable of thinking, reasoning, 
rising, soaring; of looking with an intelligent eye into the 
works of the Deity, and of penetrating the mighty mys- 
teries of his Divine government." 

Let us now see where the organ of this noblest of the In- 
tellectuals is situated. It is at each side of Comparison. 
Here the forehead will have a breadth, height, and fulness 
in proportion to the size of the organ. Here sits the Chief- 
tain of the Intellect, as it were, on an overlooking and 
majestic throne. It is a well-attested fact that the great 
philosophers of past time had an extraordinary development 
exactly in this part of the head; and we venture to predict, 
that any man living, very peculiarly distinguished for his 
reasoning powers, will exhibit a prominence here such as 
the scatter-thought sort of people never show. 

Kind, candid reader, please examine the heads of your 
own acquaintances. You may know of one whose argumen- 
tation is chain-like, so that you can follow it link by link, 
and remember at the close just in what order the links come, 
one after another, from the brain-smith. You must, how- 
ever, be somewhat of a reasoner yourself, closely to follow 
and clearly to remember. We will suppose you are so. Now 
mark the fashion of this man's forehead; compare it with 
that of some other, whose ideas stick together about as much 
as dust in the wind, and observe the difference. 

The peculiar position of Causality in respect to Compar- 



CAUSALITY 87 

ison is worthy of note. But just consider how the functions 
of the two are related. What is a primary and most frequent 
exercise of the mind in seeking the yet unknown cause of 
any object or phenomenon? Is it not Comparison? How 
came the works of Nature? for instance. We compare 
them with the works of man which indicate intelligence 
and design, applicability to a certain use, and we find a re- 
semblance in respect to such indications. Hence we infer 
by Causality that these things of Nature, like those of hu- 
man art, had an intelligent Maker, who designed them, also, 
with applicability to a certain use. Again, we observe some 
phenomenon — a sound in the night, for instance; we com- 
pare it with some other sound we have heard, and hence 
infer whether it is produced by a rolling carriage, by the 
winds, by the water, or an earthquake. Newton sought to 
know what kept the globes in balance, and he compared 
this unknown force with that which brought an apple to 
the ground, and thus he inferred that the balance of the 
globes and the fall of the apple were from the same cause — 
Gravitation. Now observe the relative positions of Causality 
and Comparison. The former is situated each side of the 
latter, and joining closely upon it. Thus Comparison is an 
immediately present and ever-ready coadjutor to aid Caus- 
ality to its conclusions. So, whether we go forward or 
backward, ascend or descend in our range round the head, 
we still find this wonderful order and harmony of arrange- 
ment. 

Mr. Combe has a rich treatise on Causality. Instead of 
quoting, we would urge our readers to peruse it. Especially 
would we commend to attention his argument for the ex- 
istence of God, at the close of the section. Would theo- 
logians of the pulpit lose time by the study of Phrenology? 
For our country, for the world, for Christianity's sake, we 
beseech them to study and see! 

" Public men are public property " is the adage. This, 
in practice, may sometimes not be quite agreeable. We 
trust, however, that such publicity as will do good by prov- 
ing truth beyond refutation will not be offensive or unjust. 



88 uncle sam's letters 

Not long ago, one occupied a desk in the Senate who may 
be called gigantic in Causality — the very Anak of the organ, 
if we may so speak. Indeed, he is one to be marked among 
a million. His forehead globes out at the Reflectives like 
old Jupiter's, as we have seen him in marble. But his Per- 
ceptives, though full, fall in beneath this grandeur of the 
higher brain. He is not a hunter watching his game, as his 
compeer of Kentucky is. This man looks as if he were con- 
triving some awful blunderbuss, to put daylight through 
an opponent by and by, when he shall find time to fire it off. 
We describe him as he used to be seen. Daniel Webster sits 
at his desk with his head bent over, his hand on his fore- 
head, and his brows knitting f ringework over his great, deep 
eye-caverns, as if he wished to thicken the twilight around 
the outlook of his Perceptives. But the Eeflectives are 
holding their majestic reign in their spacious, inly-lighted 
•palace above. Hence there are secret passages out into the 
manifold intricacies of human institutions, and ways, too, 
far into the mysteries of nature and the great universe, 
would the power in that palace think fit to open the gates 
and follow the clew within its reach. But human "Govern- 
ment and Law is the direction this tremendous Causality 
chooses to take, outstriding all, or most others, surely, in 
these departments. He is " the Defender of the Constitu- 
tion," by his party so called by way of eminence. Whether 
he is or not, no matter; doubtless he is amply able to defend 
it! with his mighty searching Causality, he cannot but know 
all about the principles of the instrument. He sees just 
where, and how far, the roots of this liberty-tree strike 
down, and how many roots and fibres there are. He can 
give you the whole philosophy of these foundations; and 
then, above them, the same of trunk, bough, branch, twig, 
leaf, flower, and fruit. But then his opponents would con- 
tend that great knowledge and philosophy do not necessa- 
rily imply integrity in using it. How it may be in the case 
of this statesman, we give no opinion. 

But it need not offend any political sensitiveness, cer- 
tainly, to record that Daniel Webster possesses Causality 



HUMAN NATURE AGREEABLENESS 89 

extraordinary, for Spurzheim, Combe, the Fowlers, and 
many others proclaim it. In some situations he cannot but 
be of substantial service, as all parties must allow. As sec- 
retary of state, who of his own party, better than he, can 
keep foreign intrusiveness at arm's end, or grapple, giant- 
like, in diplomatic back-hug, if it shall be necessary? 
Shades of the Seven Wise Men! the Causality of this one 
son of a farmer can show all the East from what principles 
their old, time-cracked, but moss-covered institutions grew 
up, and by what causes they are crumbling and tumbling 
down, and will surely come to speedy ruin, unless those 
who are sheltered by them mend them up by good modern 
brick and mortar. 

HUMAN NATUKE. 

Discernment of character; perception of motives; intui- 
tive physiognomy. Adapted to man's need of knowing his 
fellow-men. Perverted, it produces suspiciousness. 

This organ is located above Comparison and gives prom- 
inence to that part of the forehead. Detectives require this 
faculty strong. 

To Cultivate. — Scan closely all the actions of men, 
with a view to ascertain their motives and mainsprings of 
action; look with a sharp eye at man, woman, child, all you 
meet, as if you would read them through; note particularly 
the expression of the eye, as if you would imbibe what it 
signifies. 



■& j 



AGEEEABLENESS. 

Persuasiveness, pleasantness, blandness. Adapted to 
please and win others. Located above Causality. 

To Cultivate. — Try to feel agreeable, and express those 
feelings in as pleasant and bland a manner as possible. 



$Q UNCLE SAM'S LETTERS 

LETTER XXXIII. 

THE GREATEST OF THE GRACES. 

Benevolence. 

An entire stranger enters our dwelling, and we'are kindly 
disposed toward him unless something unfavorable in his 
appearance presents. He asks information about the way, 
we promptly give it; or craves, perhaps, a draught of water; 
it is presented. Does he appear to be sick and in pain, we 
go at once about relief: does he seem faint and likely to fall, 
we spring to his side for support: is he at length able to pro- 
ceed, we provide him with comforts, and send him on his 
journey with anxious sympathy. The feeling that prompts 
us is Benevolence. None except those who have it but feebly 
can doubt its existence as a distinct principle in our nature. 
If it is impulsive and strong toward a stranger, how much 
more active toward friends. 

So dependent are human beings on each other in social 
life, that they could not possibly do without this. Its ends 
could be fully accomplished by no other faculty of which 
we have treated. There is a great deal of suffering all over 
the world. Individuals, families, nations are in more or 
less trouble. For the relief of such this blessed sentiment 
is implanted. The common kindness of daily intercourse 
deepens into beneficence in some individual case of need, 
branches off in various charities in our own community, or 
sweeps away in world-wide philanthropy. 

Let us see where Benevolence has its seat. It is above 
Comparison, at the pitch of the forehead where it rounds 
up, and over under the hair, to the more horizontal part of 
the head.* 

Fowler says, " Of all the moral organs, this occupies the 

* Since this was written the organs of Human Nature and Agree- 
ableness have been recognized and located above Comparison and 
Causality and below Benevolence and Imitation. 



BENEVOLENCE 91 

most prominent portion of the head, and has allotted to it 
the greatest surface, thus apparently implying that its 
function is designed to be one of the cardinal human vir- 
tues, and that to do good to those around us is both oui 
privilege and our duty." 

As this sentiment appertains directly and continually to 
our fellow-beings, its organ is as near to the world before 
us as the Creator could place it on the brow, above the In- 
tellectuals. It there gives sweetness of expression to the 
face below, softly beaming in the eyes, sweetly smiling on 
the lips. In the signs of civility in meeting friends, how 
the benevolent organ of one bends forward, as it were, meet' 
ing the benevolent organ of the other. Bowing is its nat- 
ural language, not the mere conventional sign of politeness. 
Benevolence implanted near the intellectual and the con- 
structive powers, would stimulate these to make their chief 
end the good of others. It persuades the Perceptives to get 
knowledge of materials, the Reflectives to seek for principles 
of combination, and Constructiveness to put materials 
together, for the welfare of those around. Acquisitiveness 
itself is its heaven-appointed servant. There are many 
blessed instances in this wide world where thousands and 
thousands are taken up from many sources, even as the 
waters are drawn up by the sun, and scattered beneficently 
far and wide again, as the clouds are made to return in re- 
viving showers. 

Benevolenee ! how delightful to contemplate it wher- 
ever it is found, lovely in the little, and beautifully grand in 
the great. We cannot leave this organ without an illustra- 
tion or two. A gentleman was passing along a street of this 
city on a winter's day, when he witnessed an incident which 
may be a lesson to thousands if but put in print : 

A sweet, rosy-cheeked, flaxen-haired girl, perhaps twelve 
years old, was walking, tripping, gliding along from school, 
book in one hand and bag in the other, and bonnet rather 
carelessly awry, and humming a juvenile song lowly to her- 
self as she flitted. She was not aware of the observer's near- 
ness. It had been raining long enough to make the ice 



92 UNCLE Sam's LETTERS 

much more slippery, and it was raining still, but she did not 
seem to mind it. A little negro girl was at the same time 
coming down the declivitous pavement on the other side, 
with a basket on her arm. In a twinkling, the young Afri- 
can had slipped upon the wet and treacherous tee, and was 
upon her back, and her basket rolling along down, with the 
clean clothes she 1 was carrying home tumbling out into the 
watery and muddy gutter. In a twinkling more, miss lieu 
across and up the street to the sulVerer. She took her by 
the hand and helped her on her 1'eet, then assisted to pick 
up the clothes ami brush oil' the mud, and replace them in 
the basket. The poor carrier had sprained her foot, and 
found herself quite Lame. Bui lol by the time the sympa- 
thizing witness got to that side of the street, the little whity 
had hold of One side of tearful black v's basket of clothes, 
and was aiding the dirtied, dripping, and heavier burden 
back to tin 1 wash, and speaking to her in the most soothing, 
sweetest tones. The gentleman followed (hem to the wash- 
erwoman's to learn how much harm had come to the child, 
and he found her tender-hearted helper excusing her from 
the mishap in the most earnest manner. The rainbow on 
the cloud is bid a faint emblem of the beauty and the bois- 
terousness there contrasted. 

Hut our story is about done. We know the name of that 
seraph of goodness. We watched the growth and develop- 
ment of body and spirit. She was beautiful, and became 
the centre of admiration enough to spoil almost any other 
belle. But neither has fashion, nor any of its follies, made 
her forget the poor, and stay from the door of the sick. 
She is now a wife and a mother, with many cares at home; 
but all of them cannot prevent her from caring for many a 
one less fortunate than herself. "Blessed are the merci- 
ful! " — this scripture should be the label of her life. That 
little negro girl has been her faithful servant for years. 
"Oh!' exclaimed the full-hearted African to another, 
" you don't know how good she is. I am afraid the angels 
will carry her to heaven too soon for me and a great many 
other folks." On this lady's head there is an elevation and 



BENEVOLENCE 93 

amplitude of the organ of Benevolence which the most 
careless eye might observe? Mercy has one of her largest 
thrones on that brow. This incident has indeed no ro- 
mance, but there is singularity enough to make it interest- 
ing. For where else is the little daughter of fortune and 
fashion that would spring so impulsively away to lift up 
the fallen of a despised race, and then, like a sister in color 
and poverty, help bear her burden back to her hovel home? 
She might call to somebody's passing servant to aid the 
unfortunate, but not tax her own feet and hands. If such 
instances as the above are common, then the Millennium 
is nearer than we thought. 

Did you ever see General Harrison? * If you never did, 
just look at any of the pictures of him to be found at almost 
every turn. See how high his forehead rises up, like a per- 
pendicular wall, or, rather, how full does the horizontal part 
of his head come over, building this wall of the front so 
high that there is almost a right angle, as of a square. This 
prominence is the organ for doing good. His correspond- 
ing character is well known. What large philanthropy, 
what special kindness, what minute tenderness was his! 
What a- blessed father was he to the whole Northwest! 
That walking with the poor old sailor arm in arm, and 
bareheaded, just before his mortal sickness — how touching 
the incident! That letter to the New York Collector in 
the poor man's behalf — what heart there was in it! That 
letter is worth more as an example to his countrymen than 
all the sit-still benevolence of all the flashy literature of the 
age. As it was one of the last memorials, so shall it be an 
everlasting one of the Good President. 0, he was always 
good, from boyhood onward — good to everybody. 

There is a little incident that shall be recorded here, if it 
has been nowhere else. When in this city as a senator, he 
was dining one day in company with many others, and a 
child's continued cry was heard in the street. His com- 
panions sat unmoved, but he could not pursue his meal 

* General William Henry Harrison was President and died just one 
month after his inauguration, April 4, 1841. 



94 uncle sam's letters 

till he had been out, bareheaded, to ask after the trouble. 
And he eame back with his pocket lighter by a dollar, given 
to a little girl who had lost thus much, and was in distress 
at the misfortune. 

Thou art gone, good old man, thy dying words a sacred 
legacy to thy country. How enemies, raised up by exciting 
occasion, were hushed at thy going hence, sealing with a 
last unconscious utterance the truth of thy patriotism. In 
this magnanimous and continued pause from reproach 
there is a solemn grandeur, and the best monument to thy 
worth, for it is from millions that before were bitterest 
opposers. They shall now pass thy modest residence on the 
Ohio, forgetting the emblem of a successful party in con- 
templating thee as the Father of the Northwest and the 
benefactor of the poor. 



LETTEE XXXIV. 

RESPECT, WORSHIP. 

Veneration. 

When" a child, you doubtless looked up to your parents 
arid school-teachers with a respect you felt toward no 
human being else. Have you an aged father now living, 
you probably reverence as well as love him. Should you 
be brought into the presence of some highly distinguished, 
and also good man of the country, you would perhaps have 
a similar feeling toward him, though not mingled with 
affection as before. In simply thinking of the great and 
good, the same sentiment would probably possess you. Who 
can contemplate the character of Washington without al- 
most relisrious veneration? 

Still farther, there is a much higher exercise of this sen- 
timent toward the Divine Being. In this direction it 
amounts to profoundest awe, at least in the more devout. 
Toward God is its highest and holiest action; and when 



RESPECT, WORSHIP, VENERATION 95 

mingled with faith, hope, and love toward Him, there is 
a blessed " beanty of holiness " in worship, which must be 
an antepast of heaven. After proceeding thus far in our 
science, you can hardly doubt the existence of a distinct 
organ through which this sentiment is exercised. 

The organ of Veneration is immediately and centrally 
back of Benevolence, and joining also upon Firmness. 
When full, it makes the highest part of the head, in front 
of the last-named organ. It is, also, near Conscientious- 
ness. It has, therefore, a commanding position in the 
head, and its function is one of the highest importance. 
The world could hardly do without it. Eespect for parents 
is an indispensable element in family government and 
felicity. So veneration for men of superior talent and virt- 
ue is a pure and beautiful trait. Then Eeverence for 
those institutions of government, by which nations are 
protected from without, and kept in peace among them- 
selves, is a wise ordination of the Creator. 

Finally, that exercise of the sentiment which contributes 
to religion is of supreme importance. While we worship 
with awe, we cannot but also praise that we are endowed 
with this medium of approach to the Infinite Sovereign. 

It is worthy of /remark, that this organ is on the top of 
the head, so that in the child it points upward toward the 
parent that stoops in strength and wisdom over him. It 
also points heavenward, as to that immensity of height at 
which the Creator is above the creature. 

In deference to superiors, we naturally bring the organ 
down; in a marked obeisance, sink it quite low. In the 
homage of the Eastern nations, whether to a monarch or 
to deities, the organ is brought even to the ground. This 
lowering the head directly forward is the natural language 
of the organ, or, rather, of the sentiment acting through it. 

One of the chief purposes of this faculty seems to be to 
produce those degrees of deference, one toward another, 
which are necessary to the subordination and peace of so- 
ciety. Co-operating with other faculties, it conduces 
largely to the quietness and stability of government. 



96 UNCLE SAM'S LETTERS 

Combe gives an interesting account of the manner in 
which Gall discovered the organ. Almost all phrenological 
writers have interesting philosophy and illustrations con- 
cerning the faculty. We pray you to consult them, about 
Veneration in particular, for, more than any other, it pro- 
claims from its seat, as from a sacred oracle — There is a 
God. 



LETTEE XXXV. 

ONE LIKE ANOTHER. 

Imitation. 

What imitative creatures we all are ! Why so? Be- 
cause there is a special faculty and organ which makes us 
imitative. Could not children copy the motions and man- 
ners of those who are older, it would cause trouble beyond 
all patience to teach them an agreeable behavior. Indeed, 
were it not for this ability, any community of people, not 
to say the world, would have as many different ways about 
any one thing as the hair of an uncombed barbarian, which 
is together only as it hangs to his head. Without Imitation, 
too, all wisdom would have hard work to instruct in the 
powers of speech. What multitudinous unmeaning sounds 
would shiver the air before anything like conformity of 
speech could be brought about ! All nations would have 
to go round through Babel in getting at a vernacular tongue. 
Without this, how long it would take to make garments, 
build houses, implements, etc.! The world's civilization, 
would have had yet a terrible savage look, notwithstanding 
it is so many thousand years old. But where is the organ? 
Each side of Benevolence. There seems an appropriateness 
in the location. Children imitate parents and superiors 
generally, amid whom they live; and the lower grades of 
society are disposed to copy the manners and modes of life 
prevalent in the higher. In this way there is a general 



ONE LIKE ANOTHER IMITATION 97 

conformity, and a tendency to go on and up in improve- 
ment. We see, therefore, how materially Veneration in- 
fluences this organ. 

With seriousness we would also suggest, that the con- 
junction of the two organs would naturally lead us to 
imitate the characters of the greatly good, to copy the ex- 
ample of the blessed Saviour of men, and, lastly, to imitate 
the divinely perfect, the infinite Father of all. 

Again, men Jiving together in neighborhood are naturally 
kindly disposed one toward another, unless there are 
peculiar circumstances to interfere with such dispositions. 
Now Imitation, lying along beside Benevolence, is prompted 
by it to that mutual adaptation of manners and modes 
which far more enhances the agreeableness of society. 

We would suggest to the citizens of the country to select 
as candidates for Congress men with larger Imitation than 
possessed by many in past times delegated to that place. 
Our history is full of great and good examples; the Capitol 
is all pictured with the representations of patriotic virtue; 
yet by how few, comparatively, are they copied ! Now the 
Father of his Country sits there in all but breathing and 
speaking personification; and for what? How long shall 
it be, but to contrast the wholeness of patriotism and the 
grandeur of rectitude, with the partisan and sectional self- 
ishness, and the gross viciousness which so numerously dis- 
honor those legislative halls? But, citizens of the Repub- 
lic ! how can you expect your public servants to copy the 
immaculate patriot, unless you yourselves, in suffrage, do 
first imitate the cool discrimination, the lofty independence, 
and uncompromising integrity of Washington? 



9S UNCLE SAM\s LETTERS 

LETTER XXXVI. 

BELIEF FAITH. 

Spirituality — Marvellousness. 

The phrenologists have found what some of them call 
the organ of Marvellousness, and others that of Wonder. 
Those who are particularly fond of marvellous tales, and 
anything else wonderful, have uncommon elevations back 
of Imitation. We are inclined to think, with some others, 
that this love of the marvellous arises from the excess of 
an organ which, in its ordinary operations, has a different 
and all-important use, viz., that of giving the capacity of 
•Belief. A large portion of our knowledge depends on the 
testimony of others. We receive it as true because they say 
so. We spontaneously give credence unless there are pe- 
culiar circumstances to excite doubt. Children implicitly 
believe parents, and pupils their teachers, and must do so, 
or instruction is at an end. It reaches Imitation, and joins 
upon Veneration; this last faculty prompting it to believe 
in the statements of those who are older, greater, wiser. 
Hence, also, the profound religious faith exercised by some 
toward the Most High object of veneration. 

This organ of Belief is also in the vicinity of Benevolence, 
and we naturally believe in and trust to those for whom we 
feel friendship, or even a more distant kindness. We believe 
and expect that what has been will be; that the same order 
of events in nature will be maintained: for instance, that 
the globe will still roll around, the sun will rise, and the 
seasons of the year recur. We apprehend that the faculty 
of Belief receives the discoveries of Causality, and holds 
them fast for the present, and carries them forward to the 
future. The universe of God is one infinite tissue of con- 
nections and dependencies, of causes and effects. The 
knowledge of these may at first be communicated by others, 
the wiser, and our belief must be founded on their simple 



FAITH — SPIRITUALITY 99 

statement; ultimately, however, as we have opportunity 
to investigate, it rests upon and is rooted in reason. We 
perceive, therefore, how appropriately the organ reaches 
Veneration, supported, as it were, and made permanent in 
its apprehension by both.* 

Every new communication from a source we can trust 
excites this faculty anew and affords its natural stimulus. 
What is called news, being more unexpected, presents a 
sudden and impulsive stimulant, and one that is desirable 
if the news be not unpleasant. Those having the organ 
large are of course more easily excited, and have an extraor- 
dinary fondness for novelty. In consequence, some have 
been inclined to denominate the faculty " Love of Nov- 
elty " ; but it is easily perceived that this disposition arises 
from the excess of the organ, as also does a fondness for the 
Marvellous. We can hardly believe that the Creator would 
implant a faculty whose special function is to receive and 
enjoy wonderful absurdities, but we can easily perceive 
how an extraordinarily large Belief would fasten upon and 
delight in such subjects of cognizance, especially if Caus- 
ality be too diminutive to produce a corrective effect. 

We have used the common term Belief in speaking of the 
faculty. We preferred a word already familiar to the com- 
mon mind, especially as this, more precisely than any other, 
indicates our notions. We have no particular desire to in- 
novate on the already established and generally recognized 
technicals of the science. We leave to others the making 
of such changes, if needed. 

The organ in view has doubtless a more extensive opera- 
tion than has been assigned it above. Some suppose its 
primary function not to be simple and general belief, but 
that to which we shall soon refer. The Messieurs Fowler 
seem to be of this opinion. Mr. Combe differs from all 
others, as far as we are acquainted with publications. We 
commend the above authors, and others also, to perusal. 
The reader will be much interested in the accounts of mar- 

* All the organs are connected at the medulla oblongata and thus 
co-operate. 



100 UNCLE SAM'S LETTERS 

vellous visions supposed to be seen by those possessing the 
organ uncommonly large. They present, also, much other 
interesting matter respecting the operation of the faculty. 

We now proceed to a peculiarly important aspect of the 
subject. The faculty appertains in a special manner to 
man's religious nature. It grasps and holds fast those great 
spiritual truths which bring to view the Creator and the 
eternal world. Hence we find its location joining Vene- 
ration and touching Hope, an organ which is yet to be 
considered. But when Belief is large, and unbalanced by 
Causality and Comparison, it may, of course, hold as true, 
absolute absurdities in religions opinions. Then, again, a 
person having Belief uncommonly diminutive, with some 
other peculiar organs also deficient, will deem as absurd 
ideas which are solemnly true and of infinite consequence. 
Jt is important that it should be clearly understood, that it 
is only when the Reflective, and the Moral and Religious 
faculties are developed somewhat equally, that there is the 
clearest and surest apprehension of Divine truth. A just 
self-knowledge in respect to excessive or deficient develop- 
ment of the several organs would be of unspeakable use to 
contentious sects, and also to inveterate and contemptuous 
Infidelity. How long shall it be before Phrenology's recon- 
ciling voice shall be heard! 

But to proceed. It is through this organ that the soul 
exercises what is termed Faith; not a simple reception of 
truth to credence, but that forth-reaching of the spirit, 
by which religious truth is not only taken in, but is felt 
and absorbed, as it were, into the inner being, as a nourish- 
ment and a life-giving energy. So powerful is the action of 
this faculty in some, that Faith seems to penetrate the very 
world invisible, and obtain a sort of insight of things there, 
of which inferior endowments have no possible conception. 
This insight may be like looking through a glass darkly; 
yet it is quite possible, to say the least, that there are sights 
of sublime and holy truth in the shadowy distance. 

This faculty and Veneration, in their highest functions, 
operate toward the Divine Being. We apprehend that He 



FAITH SPIRITUALITY 101 

has established a law by which, when these are developed 
to a certain extent, and exercised with a certain intensity, 
He will vouchsafe the communion of his own Holy Spirit to 
the seeker; that these faculties are the established medium 
of spiritual influences. If this be the truth, let these facul- 
ties, and especially their heavenward law, be understood 
with a clear conviction, and how instant, earnest, and un- 
ceasing would be prayer! How would Eegeneration come 
heralding to the soul, and then the kingdom of God take 
holy, joyous possession ! 

We urge upon Christian teachers and professors the study 
of Phrenology. It will not only mightily confirm and vital- 
ize their faith, but it will also mightily deepen and widen 
their charity, which, manward, is even greater than faith. 
Some fear that this science will harm religion. Harm Ee- 
ligion ! As well may it be feared that Astronomy will dim 
the sun, and shake the stars from their spheres. As the one 
science defines the distances, dimensions, and orbits of these 
luminaries — even tracks the startling comet in its eccentric 
range, so the other, in a similar manner, observes the crea- 
tions, harmonies, and glories in the firmament of moral and 
religious truth. Not that it sees all, or comparatively much, 
which lives and glows in the spiritual immense, but enough 
to make Contemplation- adore and love with a sublime com- 
prehensiveness as well as an intense fervency. Not, more- 
over, that Eevelation is at all set aside or lost sight of; oh 
no; Christianity still abides, a Divine centre in the vast plan 
of providences, around which all the soul's powers are har- 
moniously to revolve, even as the starry systems turn on 
some fast axis in the measureless profound, making music 
in their spheres. If a the undevout astronomer is mad/' 
how much more so must be the phrenologist undevout ! . 



102 uncle sam's letters 

LETTER XXXVII. 

A OHEEBEB. 

Hope 

Should any feeling have an organ of its own, surely 
Hope ought, it is so importanl an element in human happi- 
ness. As well might birds be without wings, or the tumult- 
nous world without a calm, starlit sky above it, as life with- 
out Hope. 

Each faculty has a tendency and a desire of its own, 
but the anticipation that this desire will be gratified comes 
from another quarter. 

The organ of Hope is placed high and centrally on the 
head, having reference to the action of the many other 
faculties around and beneath, and, from its high position, 
catching bright glimpses, as it were, of the natural results 
of their operations. 

But Hope seems to have particular connection with man's 
highest and best nature. It, is placed each side of Venera- 
tion, and back of Belief, and joining upon it. If is also in 
nearly a direct line with Causality. 'This affords certain 
subjects to Belief, from which Hope receives them, and 
refers them, by the aid of Time, to the future. 

By the connection of this sentiment with Veneration, 
it would seem to have special reference to the Most High 
object of veneration and Source of all good. Then Con- 
scientiousness is directly back and adjoining, pointing it 
to action in respect to what is just and consistent with the 
will of the Most Holy. 

Behold, now, these helping organs to Virtue and Relig- 
ion: Benevolence or Charity, Kaith, Hope, and Conscien- 
tiousness, all standing around their heavenward guide, Ven- 
eration; all looking from t his temple on earl h not made wit h 
hands, to the temple not made with hands in the heavens. 
Is it a wonder that the religious exercises of the virtuous 



LANGUAGE 103 

and devout are so ecstatic, when so many faculties co-oper- 
ate, and are, as it were, glorified by their highest and most 
glorious direction? Is it strange that Mirthfulness, below, 
should then burst into a sacred joy, and inspire contiguous 
Tune with psalms, and hymns, and spiritual songs? Of all 
men, the phrenologist has most reason to exclaim, in the 
solemn eloquence of Scripture, " I am fearfully and wonder- 
fully made ! " 

LETTEE XXXVIII. 

LANGUAGE. 

With a single exception, we close our account of the 
special faculties and their organs by the consideration of 
one, without the aid of which all the rest would stand, as 
it were, in dumb show. Those made to advance would halt 
by the way, or limp but slowly and sadly on, and attain to 
but a small portion of the dignity and enjoyment to which 
they are destined. We refer to the faculty of Language, 
the power of communicating thoughts, feelings, and de- 
sires, and of receiving from others a communication of the 
same. 

There are, indeed, silent animal signs, through which all 
the manifold nature is expressed, but these are compara- 
tively of feeble effect and of poor worth. With what tender- 
ness and what power, with what beauty and what grandeur, 
the soul stands up and proclaims itself through civilized 
speech ! How wonderfully has the Creator made the great, 
still atmosphere and the noiseless light to be swiftest mes- 
sengers from man to man, from nation to nation, from age 
to age.* Yea, they are as mighty angels ascending and de- 
scending between earth and heaven, bearing our petitions 
and our praises to God, and bringing back his promise and 
benediction. Can the power of syllabling sounds to the ear 
and letters to the eye be altogether referred to any of the 

* This was two years before the telegraph, and a third of a century 
before the phonograph. 



104 UNCLE SAM's LETTERS 

faculties before considered? Phrenological discovery and 
well-attested fact say 'No. The organ of Language is proved 
to the conviction of all who will but examine. 

Let us see with what perfect order and appropriateness 
it is located. It is just behind the eye, the medium througli 
which written signs are presented to the mind. It is on a 
range with the ear, the avenue through which signs by 
sounds are conveyed. It is just above and in the vicinity 
of the mouth and iis curious Instruments and conforma- 
tions, the machinery by which sound is transformed into 
intelligible speech. Thus, Propensities and Sentiments, 
Perceptives and Reflectives, put forth and take in the ele- 
ments of growth, expand into wider action, and glow with 
more intense enjoyment. 

This organ is classed scientifically among the Perceptives; 
out referring, as it does, to all the other Faculties — to the 
whole man in his past, present, and future relations, we 
mention it nearly at the conclusion of the list. Besides, its 
peculiar position particularly and strikingly adds to that 
array of circumstantial evidence which prejudice cannot 
gainsay and candor will not contradict. 

One of the most striking illustrations of language by 
external development is our interesting visitor, Dickens. 
What lustrous, beautiful eyes ! exclaim the ladies. 1 1 seem 3 
almost as if they would steal them for gem-mirrors, could 
they get them out with all their life and light; at any rate, 
their glances at Boz are often most suspiciously furtive. 
But, no doubt, the image of many a fair one will be pictured 
on the memory-mirror behind those splendid optics; and 
some, it may be, will have the pleasure of beholding them- 
selves reflected immortal from his pellucid page. But his 
organ of language we were i id ending to speak of: how it- 
protrudes, giving to his eye that fulness by which their 
expression seems to leap into your very face, and distil 
through into your soul. 

It is his power of language — the ease with which he finds 
a word for every idea, and keeps ideas and words ever in 
junction, which gives him a peculiar ability of which we 






LANGUAGE 105 

have heard. He will make an extemporaneous speech, 
gushing, all sparkling, right from the fount of feeling, and 
then he will dictate that same speech three days afterward 
to an amanuensis, word for word, as it came unpremeditated 
from his lips, so retentive is his grasp upon words when once 
taken hold of by his organ. 

But alas ! for the poor wight who has language out of all 
proportion to the other faculties above; whose eyes shoot 
forward at such a rate that the rest of the organ-company, 
poor puny things! are left lagging far away behind. Such 
people ought certainly to study Phrenology, in order to 
know themselves and take care of their overgrown organ 
of language; they had better hold their clackers with both 
hands against the pushes of the importunate words above, 
rather than tire patience to death and turn friendship into 
disgust — as they sometimes do. 

One can stand the combativeness of thundering contro- 
versy, or the destructiveness of sarcasm, for his own cor- 
responding faculties may be roused into glowing and some- 
what agreeable action; at least there is a self-complacency 
in knowing that he is of consequence enough to be a mark. 
But to be exposed to a visitation of words, nothing but 
words — this is a patience-trier. It is like an August fog — 
a steamy, almost stifling envelopment you cannot escape. 
There is nothing to combat; you receive no impulse; you 
can do nothing but stand and take its drench till it shall 
choose to go away. To a thinking man with an active tem- 
perament, the most uncomfortable of all fogs is the speech- 
fog. 

Some of those Congressional jars spoken of in our list of 
evils let out even more of this distressful vapor than they 
do wind; insufferably bad air, making Business faint quite 
away. An economical people should instruct their repre- 
sentatives to pass an anti-fogmatic resolution at the com- 
mencement of every session. The thousands thus saved 
might be appropriated to the " Diffusion of Knowledge 
among men " — who are sent to Congress without knowing 
for what. 



106 uncle sam's letters 

LETTER XXXIX. 

ONWARD, STILL ONWARD, EVERMORE. 

Ideality. 

We shall now consider a faculty which has probably ex- 
ercised more influence in the progress of mankind than any 
other. So interesting and transcendent is its vocation, that 
we close with it our account. 

Man comes into the world one of the most unable creat- 
ures that have breath. He can do nothing well but feed, 
cry, and make others take care of him. But by and by he 
becomes a doer in earnest, and prides himself on his prog- 
' ress at doing. He does not stop at beginnings. Look at a 
little fellow whittling a stick: he can make chips, and that 
is all. But wait a while; that little chipper becomes the 
manufacturer of elegant furniture, or instruments of the 
most delicate fineness, vying with perfect Nature herself; 
or he is the distinguished architect of temples and capitols, 
the pride of a land. 

There is miss with her scissors — the little slasher ! 
What a difference between this rag-maker and the same 
being grown up into the artist, fashioning the attire with 
which woman rivals the flowers and the rainbow in grace ! 

A little boy is seen scrawling with coal upon the hearth, 
with chalk upon the walls, or scratching with an old nail. 
He is bungling at the shape of the human head, and his 
mother may be scolding him for " marking up everything 
so." But in a few years people are seen gathered around 
a splendid picture, it may be of a distinguished personage: 
the form seems to stand out from the canvas, almost ready 
to move forward and to speak, so perfect is the illusion. 
Or it may be a landscape which attracts: there are walls, 
trees, animals, waters, mountains, skies — just like reality, 
on that little space. Admirable! What skill! Whose is 
it ? It is the work of that once-scolded hearth-scratcher. 



IDEALITY 107 

A few years ago, a certain youth at Harvard College was 
much more fond of fingering with clay, mortar, blocks of 
wood, and plaster of Paris than with lexicons. He was try- 
ing to mould and carve the shapes of his acquaintances out 
of the materials, and rudely enough too, it may be. At any 
rate, when in boyhood, farther back, he began this sort of 
play-work, his images could not have been much like any- 
thing but themselves. Possibly, Alma Mater knit her old 
gray brows, and scolded the lad for not using the right sort 
of manuals. His classic taste, too, did not suit her, as it 
was not for the inside, but the outside of ancient heads. 
But what cared he, so he fingered, and pen-knived, and 
chiselled away? Well, this same college-boy not long ago 
was employed by the national government to make the 
Father of our Country, as it were, live again in the grandeur 
and glory of sculpture. It is from bis skill that Washington 
now sits majestic in marble at the Capitol. 

Now the question is, What enables the artist so to labor 
on and on, and grow and grow, from his rude beginning to 
such wonderful perfection? 

The lower animals do not so improve. They arrive at 
a certain point, and there they are fastened. Some men, 
also, seem to have but little of this capacity for advance- 
ment. Phrenology has discovered the organ of a faculty 
which is a sort of angel-guide and cheerer to the artist. It 
enables him to place before his mind's eye the Idea of some- 
thing more perfect than he has yet accomplished. It says, 
Go on; mount up to this loftier attainment; equal all that 
has been done by others; excel them if you can. It is 
named Ideality. Now just mark the position of the organ. 
It is situated above Constructiveness, and, as some suppose, - 
touching it. At any rate, it is sufficiently near to prompt 
Tool-Tact to diligence and progress in its art. It is in the 
vicinity of Imitation, on the other side, which it also impels 
to strive for the perfect equalling of a model. It joins 
directly on Wonder or Belief. This last aids Ideality to 
hold the image of its aspiration in conception with dis- 
tinctness and tenacity, making it appear almost a visible 



108 uncle sam's letters 

reality outside the brain rather than an idea within it. Be- 
lief, also, may be supposed to operate in the way of an in- 
spiring Faith, that the lofty aim must be and shall be 
accomplished. 

Again, Ideality is in the neighborhood of Hope: this 
buoyantly cheers on the aspirant by vouchsafing bright 
glimpses of a beautiful completion. 

In reference to the functions of the organ as now de- 
scribed, Grimes terms it Perfectiveness. 

It may be well to remark, in passing, that Ideality alone, 
and even together with its last-mentioned associates, will 
not make the accomplished artist. Several of the per- 
ceptive powers, co-operating with Constructiveness and 
Imitation, are the primal elements of the genius which 
# Ideality and its handmaids are commissioned to lead up- 
ward. Ideality and Spirituality conceive the work of art, 
while Constructiveness, Form, and Size fashion the work. 

Ideality, however, is exercised not only by the artist, but 
by the user of his productions. Combined with strong per- 
ceptive powers, it refines the taste, and affords an exquisite 
perception and enjoyment of the beautiful. You will now 
and then observe it shine forth delightfully in common 
life. Tasteful, perhaps splendid apparel is coveted — at least 
neatness is sought: dwellings, too, must make some show of 
architecture and of agreeable appurtenances. We know of 
some who reside in a little low cot, a very martin-box for 
size; but "they have the perfective and beauty-loving prin- 
ciple, and they make a palace in miniature of their humble 
abode. Domicile and fence are neatly painted; .verdant 
sward carpets the yard; and foliaged shrubbery shoots 
above, and flowering plants peep out here and there, or line 
the walk with their charms. Possibly, graceful young trees 
are beginning to overarch this little space of beauty with 
spreading magnificence. Go inside those inviting doors, and 
you find everything as neat and as tastefully arranged 
as a jeweller's box. You almost feel that you want your 
very best clothes on to look into the kitchen. It is Ideality 
which helps the Perceptives to these cheap and delightful 



IDEALITY 109 

embellishments. Would that it more frequently prevailed 
in our little villages and on our rural homesteads ! 

We must now be permitted to exhibit a contrast, for we 
would like to jog and wake up dormant faculties as we pass, 
or, at least, pronounce their epitaph if they are dead. There 
is another house, much larger than that martin-box of a cot; 
the owner is quite well off — even rich. But just look at that 
house, if your eyes can stand it a moment: outside, it 
presents about as much comeliness as an old shoe flung away 
along the road; the inside — if you will not enter, we will in- 
form you — is about as inviting as that same- old shoe filled 
with dust and cobwebs, and inhabited by insects. Let us go 
along now. 

Ideality has somewhat to do with the great enterprises 
of improvement in the country. Patriotic projectors must 
have it large; it is so in the portrait of De Witt Clinton, at 
this very moment present to our view. How his soul must 
have glowed while he taught the Empire State to belt her 
greatness with the Erie Canal, and jewel it with commerce ! 
It was Ideality which helped pioneer for the smooth ways 
by which fire-souled Speed now rushes through the verv 
hills. 

But we must leave this angel of the perfect to her glorious 
forthgoings, while we note those human fixtures on the 
earth who never look above their own sordid ringers nor 
beyond their own hobbling toes. There they are, fast in 
the mud, yea, in the very holes made by their grandfathers' 
old worn-out boots; and there they will stick, unless they 
should happen to look up as prosperous Enterprise glides 
along, and are invited out by the chance of clinging to his 
skirts. 

Then there are your legislators — the copper-counters, we 
now mean: they reckon by this sort of coin, because of an 
innate adaptation to it. They prefer to abuse time and 
burden space by their tardy, round-about tug-along, for 
the surpassingly wise reason that it will cost them and their 
constituents two cents, three-quarters, and three mills 
apiece in taxes just now in order to go faster and quicker, 



110 UNCLE SAM'S LETTERS 

and save millions of expense by-and-by and for evermore. 
But hold! let us be understood: when Ideality dashes on 
without Calculation and Conscientiousness in her company, 
and borrows and buys, and then leaves the lender, and pos- 
sibly the seller, in the lurch of loss, and iinally, midway, 
tumbles down, lost, into a gravel-pit, never to get out, or 
at least not soon — then we have nothing to say for her. 

This allusion to the occasional misbehavior of our airy 
faculty puts us in mind of other instances of its perverted 
action. Some people possess it large, but with the excess of 
Acquisitiveness and a deficiency in Justice, it may be, and 
they are amazingly benevolent in making others benevolent. 
They keep their mouths open, and their eloquence gushing 
out like a water-spout, but their own money is as close in the 
pocket as their little hearts are under the muscle. 

Others, with Ideality, but lacking moral balance, imagine 
Philanthropy to be a sweet, pretty thing. They wonder how 
people can be so unsympathetic. Look, what tears ! hark, 
what sighs ! They are dying with compassion — amid a 
luxurious home, with the last new novel, all clean except 
for those pity-drops, in their lily and jewelled ringers. 

Then there is the Ideality that goes on her good-doing, 
or thinks she goes, without taking Common Sense in com- 
pany. Perhaps she was never acquainted with that ven- 
erable sage, and knew not where to look for him. So she 
runs, she leaps, she flies, she soars away to the very stars 
in speculation, but alights not on a single twig of specific 
and feasible good. Howard, with his Ideality, just trudged 
along with some Old rusty keys at his side, and found the 
very thing he was after, and did the very thing he desired. 
We might mention other glorious examples; but they are 
already known, if not followed. 

Again, there is that more ordinary Ideality which shows 
itself in conversation, much to the annoyance of good taste 
and common sense. In this case there is a power of words 
and a poverty of intellect, and so the prodigal will crush 
the puny shoots of thought all down with the gaudery of 






IDEALITY 111 

flowers; indeed, it is all blooms without stalk or stem: 0, 
so exquisitely exquisite ! Perhaps it will get into the grand: 
then what rainbows, and sunsets, and stars, with no philos- 
ophy of conversational light and shade: or mount to the 
sublime, and it is thunders, tornadoes, volcanoes, and earth- 
quakes at the cracking of a bank-bubble or marriage 
engagement. 

This matter of conversation naturally brings us to the 
next and last field of Ideality, and its richest — Writing — 
that of eloquent prose and more glowing verse. We need 
not now touch on ordinary compositions. We speak of the 
works of lofty genius. With the intellectual powers strong, 
Ideality is the bold conductor to that mount of vision from 
which Genius surveys the beautiful, the grand, the glorious 
of universal matter and spirit. There she aids him to trans- 
fer to language what he discovers and would use. She assists 
him to imbue all with perennial freshness from the fount 
of his own feeling soul. Nature is nature and life is life in 
his productions, but spiritualized from their grossness, like 
as images glassed in still waters. We hang over the brink 
of his mirroring page, and gaze and live, self-forgetting, 
in the illusion; and when forced away, wish that we could 
carry it all with us in a perpetual consciousness. When 
loveliest virtue makes a portion of these imaged scenes — as 
in Miss Sedgwick's " Bedwood," and some of her other works 
— then we return to our affairs with recollections that come 
into mind ever and anon, like angel visitants, to guide and 
cheer us on our heavenward way. 

It is thus that Ideality, surrounded by her ready retinue 
of other faculties, takes the name of Genius. Genius! 
blessed, glorious gift to the few; those few themselves 
blessed, glorious gifts to the many; for they, as with a 
divine potency, bring out, nay, almost create, similar prin- 
ciples, though far inferior, in the more ordinary mind. 
The eloquent writer, especially the poetic, to quote from 
one of those prophets of vision, leads myriads to his mount, 
and gives them to see and feel that 



112 UNCLE SAM'S LETTERS 

" The world is full of poetry: the air 
Is living with its spirit, and the waves 
Dance to the music of its melodies, 
And sparkle in its brightness. Earth is veiled 
And mantled with its beauty; and the walls 
That close the universe with crystal in, 
Are eloquent with voices that proclaim the 
Unseen glories of immensity, 
In harmonies too perfect and too high 
For aught but beings of celestial mould, 
And speak to man in one eternal hymn, 
Unfading beauty and unyielding power." * 

No class of men present more striking outward evidences 
of the truths of Phrenology than the possessors of strong 
Ideality; the organ is unfailingly prominent on their heads, 
visible to all who know where to cast the eye. The busts 
and portraits of ancient artists, poets, and orators are most 
distinctly marked thereby. All the great moderns, too, are 
'thus denoted. England's greatest geniuses, Shakespeare 
and Milton, are wonders for the visible organ. In our own 
country, look at Channing, Bryant, Irving, and Cooper, all 
distinguished in different departments, but glowing with 
the same principle, and you will find the same corresponding 
development. Another instance, because he is present, and 
attracting general attention — Charles Dickens. Observe 
his living head, as we have, or his portrait, and note how 
his forehead and temples round out at the side with a noble 
amplitude — a very palace wherein the bright angel of his 
genius may watchful sit, and wherefrom she infuses her 
inspirations into his whole soul, and thence her influences 
upon his million readers. 

We must yet add a few words more to our prolonged 
description. We apprehend that the most important func- 
tion of the organ has not yet been named. All cannot be 
artists or authors. To relish the beautiful and grand in the 
arts or in Nature is not the highest end of being. Man is 
placed in this world to develop all his intellectual and moral 
powers preparatory to a higher state of existence. The 
Perfective principle, as an element in humanity, must have 

* Percival. 



IDEALITY 113 

reference to the general improvement of the immortal 
nature. Ideality is placed midway between the frontal and 
coronal regions, to operate as a prompter to both. 

The Intellect is intended to grasp at all objects, qualities, 
relations, events, connections, and dependencies that may 
be made the proper subjects of its power. It is to transmute 
the earth and the heavens into immaterial imagery, to a 
spiritual existence in the infinitely growing capaciousness 
of memory. 

Above is the crowning excellence of the sentiments. 
These are to be put forth more and more in all that is widely 
generous and minutely sympathetic, threading out in ten- 
der sensibilities in every direction, and weaving all created 
intelligences into one vast fabric of blessed affection. 

Next, there are the altar-organs of Religion. From these 
are to ascend filial gratitude, humble adoration, and perfect 
love to the Father universal and supreme, catching his holy 
influence, and interfusing the created and the Creator, spirit 
with spirit. 

Lastly, there is Conscience, God's vicegerent in the soul, 
sitting upon her divinely erected throne and judgment-seat. 
It is her duty to watch the exercises of all the faculties, to 
prompt them to due action, and regulate them to due pro- 
portion. She is to adjust and finish all into that " beauty 
of holiness " which images the Most High. 

But, as yet, how far is man from such perfection ! We 
apprehend that the greatest and highest vocation of Ideality 
is to aid him toward this mark of his high calling. This 
mark is now but indistinctly discerned by most, or not at 
all. But when the soul shall be understood and centred 
amid all the best forces of philosophical and Christian edu- 
cation, Ideality will be put to her legitimate vocation, and 
perform her last best work. Faith will hold the Divine 
ideal in distinct and constant vision, while this Perfective 
principle will stimulate on and on to the attainment of the 
glorious end. Hope will do her cheering duty, sweetening 
effort with anticipation. Conscience, the over-ruler, her- 
self shall be also subject to the quickening. As new re- 
8 



114 UNCLE SAM'S LETTERS 

lations between being and being shall be unfolded in the 
everlasting progress, she shall be developed to embrace and 
discern all with a perfect comprehensiveness and discrim- 
ination. Thus Ideality, in her central and commanding 
station, exercises a forth-putting, up-shooting impulse to 
whatever tends to good: a Divine instinct for the perpetual 
and holy aggrandizement of the soul toward the glory of 
God. 

SUBLIMITY. 

Perception and appreciation of the Vast, Illimitable, 
Endless, Omnipotent, and Infinite. Adapted to that in- 
finitude which characterizes every department of nature. 
Perverted, it leads to bombast, and a wrong application of 
extravagant words and ideas. This organ is located back 
of Ideality and forward of Cautiousness, and appreciates 
the grand and even the terrible, the vast, and magnificent 
in nature and art; admires and enjoys exceedingly mountain 
scenery, thunder, lightning, tempests, vast prospects, and 
all that is awful and magnificent, also the dashing cataract, 
a storm at sea, the lightning's flash, and crashing thunder; 
the commotion of the elements, and the star-spangled can- 
opy of heaven, and all manifestations of omnipotence and 
infinitude. 



LETTER XL. 

SEASONS WHY PHEENOLOGY IS TRUE. 

We have now gone over the several faculties of the mind, 
as discovered and generally acknowledged by phrenologists. 
Now let us ask, Is there not a most remarkable adaptation 
of faculties to the known objects, qualities, and relations of 
external nature, and also to the several relations of human 
life? Farther, does not the arrangement of the organs of 
the brain indicates a wisdom more than human ? Is there 



WHY PHRENOLOGY IS TKUE 115 

to be found, on the earth or in the heavens, an order more 
perfect? 

If this order be not one established by the Creator, but 
is the invention of man, the genius that could invent it 
would be greater than the world has seen yet. This group- 
ing of Propensities, Intellectual faculties, and Sentiments 
in the part of the head most appropriate, as respects con- 
venience and dignity of function — just think of it. Not 
only so, but the position of each member of the group in 
relation to each other member — is it not wonderful? The 
genius might as well have been found who could invent the 
system of the heavenly spheres prior to the discoveries of 
Philosophy, as the genius capable of inventing Phrenology. 

Again, this division of the brain into several distinct 
organs, each having its function, most perfectly corresponds 
with the other arrangements of the human frame. Each 
different and entirely distinct operation is performed by 
a different and entirely distinct instrument: for instance, 
the ear hears, the eye sees, the nose smells, the tongue 
tastes. Each has but one function. Now there is as much 
difference between a thought and a feeling, and, indeed, 
between two distinct feelings, as there is between a sound 
and a smell; indeed, you might as well hear and smell both 
with the nose, as feel love and anger with the same portions 
of the brain. 

But there are still minuter analogies, which cannot but 
deepen our convictions of the reasonableness and truth 
of Phrenology. Look at the nerves, those fine and almost 
invisible strings that run from all the different parts of the 
body up into the brain, and help us do this, that, and the 
other. Their number, and their separate and distinct func- 
tions, are remarkable. We instance a little. There runs 
from the tongue one nerve to move the tongue, another to 
taste with, and a third to communicate the feeling of pain, 
should the tongue be bitten in eating, or anything else be 
the matter. So in regard to other parts of the body — the 
arm, for instance: one nerve gives motion, another for touch, 
and another for the sense of pain. There are numerous 



116 UNCLE SAM'S LETTERS 

similar examples. Now there is as much difference between 
a perception of the color of a dollar and the desire to get it 
into possession, as there is between the motions and the 
tasting of the tongue, or the movement and the feeling of 
the limb. In all candor, then, is not this division of brain 
in perfect conformity with the arrangements of the rest of 
the body? 

Let us for a moment consider some of the mental opera- 
tions as taking place one after another, and then continuing 
together, and see whether the view will naturally favor or 
oppose the old notions about the brain. 

We will suppose the case, for the present, that the brain 
is but one organ, and is exercised as a whole in each act of 
the mind. Imagine yourself passing the street during an 
exceedingly dark night. You hit your foot against some 
object, you know not what: you here have the idea of an 
individual object, and your whole brain is exercised in con- 
veying this idea to your mind. You stoop and feel along 
the object with your hands, and you find it to have the 
shape of a man: here is another idea, that of figure. You 
then endeavor to lift the person up: you now have weight. 
Then, as you move your hands along his frame, you per- 
ceive it to be quite large: here comes size. By the light of 
an approaching carriage, you perceive the face and com- 
plexion: now you have color. Directly blood is seen stream- 
ing from a wound: you now feel lively compassion. You 
have him placed in the carriage and conveyed to your 
residence, and there he revives, and at length turns out 
to be one of the most distinguished men of the country. 
A new feeling now arises: respect, perhaps deep veneration 
for his character. He informs you that he was prostrated 
by a blow from a robber: you straightway are possessed 
with indignation. Suppose, now, at this moment, the cry 
should be raised that your house is on fire: you would now 
be excited by fear; and perhaps the idea of your children in 
bed in the third story also comes in, with an accompanying 
gush of the most tender love. 

But we need go no farther in this imaginary case. Tn 



WHY PHRENOLOGY IS TKUE 117 

the first mental act the whole brain is exercised. In the 
second act nothing more can be used, and so on of each 
successive principle or feeling. By what instrument is each 
new act of the mind performed, when it took the whole brain 
to perform the first ? and several of these acts were still in 
continuance, although new ones successively took place. 
You perceive a sort of absurdity in this supposition of only 
one organ for all. You cannot but believe, we will venture 
to say, that the several mental phenomena, so different from 
each other, yet most of them in continuance at the same 
time, must have each its appropriate portion .of the brain. 

There is another consideration: the brain is an exceed- 
ingly delicate organ; and how much sooner would it get 
wearied and worn out, if the whole of it were in exercise 
during every feeling and idea ! 

It may be observed, moreover, that it is a fact, that when 
the attention is fatigued with a particular subject of 
thought, you may pursue a different subject as with fresh 
powers. Hence the inference that other and different pow- 
ers are now exercised. It is said that one of the most learned 
men of the age, Edward Everett, accomplished his remark- 
able attainments by thus varying his pursuits, and relieving 
his brain thereby. 

There is another evidence of phrenological truth in in- 
sanity. There arc numerous instances of individuals being 
deranged in relation to one subject, and sane on every other. 
The multiplicity and difference of organs most clearly ex- 
plain how this is, without any additional words. 

There are cases, too, in which notorious idiots have mani- 
fested peculiar mental power in certain directions; for 
instance, in ability to construct. We knew one who could 
take a watch to pieces and put it together again as well as 
a watchmaker. He could also skilfully use tools in some 
kinds of wooden manufacture. He had the organ of Con- 
structiveness very large, which accounts for his talent. 

Dreams, that seem partially rational, can be accounted for 
only on the supposition that there are several organs, part 
of them being active while the rest are asleep. 



118 UNCLE SAM'S LETTEES 

Again: in the early development of the human mind, 
some powers appear earlier than others: for instance, a child 
has perception as soon as he opens his eyes, and is con- 
tinually getting a knowledge of things and their qualities. 
But he does not reason to any considerable extent till much 
later. Now it is a fact which any one may observe, that the 
lower portion of the head, where the Perceptive organs are 
said to be, is generally largest in children, and the Reflective 
j)ortion grows in dimension with increasing years. These 
facts perfectly correspond with our theory of the brain. 

It is a fact, that the less civilized portion of mankind are 
deficient in the Beflective organs as designated by Phre- 
nology. If you doubt, look at the Indian or ignorant negro. 

What is termed genius is another striking proof. This 
remarkable predisposition to Poetry, Painting, Music, 
Mathematics, etc., is most clearly accounted for under the 
supposition of an uncommon development of appropriate 
organs. And it is a fact, which may be observed any day 
in company with a person of such peculiar turn and power 
of mind, that he has an external development of head cor- 
responding to his internal peculiarity. 

One more fact. People have a memory for different 
particulars: one may easily recollect facts; another stories; 
another places; another is extraordinary at committing and 
reciting words. This is perfectly accounted for by the 
theory of special faculties and organs, according to the 
talents of each. 

Say, now, good friends, are not the above rather striking 
reasons why Phrenology is likely to be true ? 



LETTEE XLI. 

SIZE OF THE HEAD — OUR GREAT MEN". 

The manifestations of mental power depend particularly 
on two conditions, which are important to be mentioned. 



SIZE OF THE HEAD 119 

The first is the size of the brain. We have already intimated 
that the strength of a special faculty is in proportion to the 
dimensions of the organ through which it is exercised. We 
have given illustrations to this, erfect 'quite numerously 
through our work. You remember that it was in conse- 
quence of the extraordinary development of particular 
powers that the discoveries of Phrenology have been made; 
the first case being that of Language, indicated by an un- 
common prominence of the eye. 

Besides individual faculties, it is now established that 
the strength of mind, as a whole, is in proportion to the size 
of the brain, as a whole. The largest head exercises the 
greatest mental power, other conditions being equal. This 
is agreeable to common observation. The mind of a child is 
weak, and all know the smallness of its brain. Idiots in- 
variably have small heads, unless there is an enlargement 
from disease. It is a fact, moreover, that nations with in- 
ferior brains have inferior intellectual power, and are easily 
subjected to those with larger heads. A few Europeans can 
keep in subjection millions of Hindoos. 

Again, individual men who have been celebrated for their 
extraordinary energies, possessed uncommonly large heads, 
such as Washington, Franklin, Bonaparte, Cuvier. We 
happen to possess the means of illustrating this fact by our 
own distinguished countrymen. A few years ago, the late 
Dr. Lovell, surgeon-general of the United States army, meas- 
ured the heads of more than fifty distinguished individuals, 
and found them generally to be much above the medium 
standard. These measurements were stated in figures, and 
published. An individual with the initials S. G-. H. gave an 
amusing commentary on Dr. Lovelies document, in the 
American Monthly Magazine, at New York, for April, 1838. 
This was also partly republished in Fowler's Phrenological 
Journal, vol. i. " The Heads of our Great Men " is the title 
of the article. We refer the reader to it as peculiarly in- 
structive and amusing. It will appear therefrom that J. Q. 
Adams, Calhoun, Clay, Van Buren, Judge Marshall, Wirt, 
Woodbury, Webster, Southard, Judge M'Lean, and others, 



120 uncle sam's letters 

exhibit heads with a superiority of size proportionate to 
their known superiority of talent. 

But go into the Fowler rooms in New York, and look at 
the numerous casts, and witness with your own eyes how 
general dimensions and particular development are per- 
fectly conformable to acknowledged character; or go into 
any other Phrenological depository, and you will find the 
same demonstrations. There is one in Boston, and- the good 
people of that city will find notions there from many na- 
tions. That multitude of images will not hurt them. 
They are not ghosts, if they do look so ghastly. They are 
as still as sleep in meeting- time, and have the singular fac- 
ulty of speaking the truth without making any noise. They 
might possibly convince the visitor that he or she owns a 
" Curiosity Shop," which beats that of Boz, or of antiquary 
.Burnham all to emptiness. We now and then look into the 
Literary Emporium, and must aver before the nation that 
there are many capital " signs " out, which by far outdo 
painted pine, and even the ingenious newspaper, in strength 
of advertisement. 

Mr. Combe, in his " Journal of Travels," pronounces quite 
a panegyric on the Boston heads. As the owners thereof 
pride themselves on being uncommonly independent, can- 
did, and earnest in seeking the truth, we trust that they will 
look sharp after this foreigner, and see whether he speaks 
it about their brains. 

By the way, we will close this letter with an instructive 
extract from this same Mr. Combe's " Phrenology " : 

" In our infancy we have all been delighted with the 
fable of the old man who showed his sons a bundle of rods, 
and pointed out to them how easy it was to snap one asunder, 
and how difficult to break the whole. The principle in- 
volved in this simple story pervades all material substances; 
for example, a muscle is composed of a number of fleshy 
fibres, and hence it follows that each muscle will be strong 
in proportion to the number of fibres which enter into its 
composition. If nerves be composed of parts, a nerve which 
is composed of twenty parts must be more vigorous than one 



SIZE A MEASURE OF POWER 121 

which consists of only one. To render this principle uni- 
versally true, however, one condition must be observed, 
namely, that all the parts compared with each other, or with 
the whole, shall be of the same quality: for example, if the 
old man in the fable had presented ten twigs of wood tied 
up in a bundle, and desired his sons to observe how much 
more difficult it was to break ten than to sever one; and 
if his sons, in refutation of this assertion, had presented 
him with a rod of iron of the same thickness as one twig, 
and said that it was as difficult to break that iron rod, 
although single, as his whole bundle of twigs, although ten- 
fold, the answer would have been obvious, that the things 
compared differed in kind and quality, and that if he took 
ten iron rods and tried to break them, the difficulty would 
be as great, compared with that of severing one, as the task 
of breaking ten twigs of wood compared with that of break- 
ing one. In like manner, nerves, muscles, brain, and all 
other parts of the body may be sound or they may be dis- 
eased; they may be of a fine structure or a coarse structure; 
they may be old or young; they may be almost dissolved 
by the burning heat of a tropical sun, or nearly frozen under 
the influence of an arctic winter; and it would be altogether 
irrational to expect the influence of size to stand forth as a 
fixed energy, overruling all circumstances, and producing 
effects constantly equal.. The strength of iron itself, and 
adamantine rock, depends on temperature; for either will 
melt with a certain degree of heat, and at a still higher point 
they will be dissipated into vapor. The true principle, then, 
is, that — constitution, health, and outward circumstances 
being the same — a large muscle or large nerve composed 
of numerous fibres, will act with more force than a small 
one comprehending few." 



122 UNCLE SAM'S LETTERS 

LETTER XLII. 

FAT, BLOOD, FIBRE, NERVE. 

Temperament. 

The other circumstance materially affecting mental man- 
ifestations is what is called Temperament. This is sup- 
posed to result from the predominance of one set of bodily 
organs over other sets. This peculiar predominance influ- 
ences the quality of the brain for better or worse. It is es- 
tablished that a large head with a poor temperament may 
be equalled in mental power by a smaller head with a dif- 
ferent temperament. This is a comfortable doctrine to 
many, so we trust they will examine and find out what sort 
of constitutions they possess in this respect. There is not so 
much difference between some of the bigs and some of the 
littles as might be supposed. So Size need not mount in 
self-esteem, or swell with vanity in all his comparisons with 
a neighbor quantity. A bee knows about as much, and 
can do as wonderful things as some birds, and rather more; 
but, then, mind you, it is the honey-maker, which, notwith- 
standing his littleness, excels the fowls of heaven: a house- 
fly or a grasshopper could not possibly do it. So among 
men: there must be a peculiar construction of things in a 
smaller cranium and in the body beneath it, to produce an 
equality with a more bulky system. This construction con- 
sists mostly in an uncommonly fine temperament. 

But we will proceed methodically to our subject. Tem- 
peraments have been divided into four kinds. First, there 
is the Phlegmatic* People with this tend to much round- 

* Before these letters of " Uncle Sam " were written, the 
Fowlers, tired of hearing" the temperaments called by the name 
of a disease or of an abnormal freak of unbalanced develop- 
ment such as Bilious, Nervous, Sanguine, and Lymphatic, 
bravely and very appropriately dropped those misleading 
misnomers, and combining" the organs that manufacture 
nutrition, diffuse and assimilate it into growth and health: 









TEMPERAMENT 123 

ness of person and superfluity of fat. They are heavy, slow 
people, whom thunder will not start, such is their obesity. 
The stomach and the machinery below are out of proportion 
to the works above. Alimentiveness is- their monarch- 
organ. They have a genius for good living and for going 
to sleep. But with a large head, as some of this character 
have, they are, notwithstanding, powerful to do — slow in 
movement, but mighty in momentum. This, or something 
like it, is the doctrine of most books. 

But some are bold to differ. Sidney Smith, that new 
Scotch chieftain at Phrenology, will not believe a word 
about it. Were he a Dutchman, we should incline to think 
that he had some personal and selfish reasons for his heresy. 
lie avers that fat is not the sign of a lymphatic tempera- 
ment; that some of the most active-minded men of the world 
were fat; for instance, Gibbon the historian, and Bonaparte 
in his latter days. All must confess that it was not a genius 
for luxury, laziness, or much sleep, that transformed the 
once " Little Corporal " into obese dimensions. Byron, 
moreover, had an unctuous tendency; and, surely, a strange 
lymphatic was he. We might as well be told that lightning 
goes floundering through cloud, as that stomach and abdo- 
men absorbed that electrical spirit. We might add, that 
some of the most energetic, lively, even restless characters 
we know, are remarkable for bulk and bulge; and, judging 
from motions of muscle and emotions of mind, we should 
sooner think of there being almost anything beneath their 



viz., the stomach, heart, lung's, blood-vessels, and lymphatics, 
and called the combination the Vital temperament. The 
Bilions, which is the popular name of diseased conditions, 
was called the " Motive," since being made up of bone aud 
muscle it is really the temperament of motion. The disease 
induced by overwork or poorly sustained nerves they did not 
dignify as the Nervous temperament; but since brain and 
nerve are the basis of a temperament and of all mentality, it is 
properly called the Mental temperament. 

This list of names for the temperaments has largely super- 
seded those of the ancients which were in use when phrenology 
was discovered and unfortunately inherited them. 

N. S. 



124 uncle sam's letteks 

rotundity than this lymphatic argument — fat. But fat 
there certainly must he, or there is a cushion-stuff which 
Physiology knows nothing about. 

But, no doubt, there are some people of this character 
of body who are lymphatic enough — all sluggishness and 
sleep, almost provoking others to roll them out of the way 
like casks of obesity that are not alive. We advise such to 
stir up and get out of the way; to struggle with all their 
might against their unfortunate constitutions, and make a 
swift rotatory application themselves. The greater the 
credit of the mind, the heavier and deader the weight it 
runs with. 

But we have cleaved quite too long to this subject: if it has 
been from the attraction of gravitation, we will now try to 
break away, and get above it, to another temperament of a 
higher order, called the Sanguine. In the possessors of this, 
the heart and the lungs predominate. They make prodigi- 
ous use of the atmosphere: their blood leaps like cataracts 
through its channels. They generally have blue — at any 
rate, bright eyes and ruby faces. They are great geniuses at 
not sitting still: action, action is what they want. A boy 
with this temperament cannot bear to be made right angles 
of by a school-bench. Spelling-books and grammars are 
his disgust. The way he likes to study Geography is prac- 
tically, with his feet. The map he wants is the real earth. 
The master may kick him and welcome, if it is only out of 
his stupid realm into the open air. Put him upon Natural 
History; but, little Nimrod that he is, the science must be 
in the way of hunting the squirrel, not dissecting it. It will 
be something similar when he shall be a man. Business, not 
books, his sanguineous machinery was made for; so let it be 
put to its right and best use. 

Next we have the Bilious temperament, or Fibrous, as 
some name it. This belongs to people in whom fat could 
no more stick than it could in a furnace. It would melt and 
run away as soon as it should get among their muscles. 
Their very blood seems a sort of lava ; at any rate, it does not 
show its crimson through their skins. They are dark-look- 



LORD BliOUGHAM— CALHOUN 125 

ing men. Their sinews seem to be of welded iron, and their 
faces are all full of angles, crooks, cramps, and crinkles. 
They look as if Time had set, not his years, but his hours, 
with their tiny mallets and chisels, to make all sorts of 
curious carvings upon their countenances, and this without 
hurting them. These are the men who work at head-work 
or body-work without scarce getting tired or needing sleep, 
as other men do. Lord Brougham is said to be one of this 
sort. He can speechify all night in Parliament, or be 
awake and ready to do it; then go home, and spend the next 
day, Vulcan-like, forging a thunderbolt of criticism to 
launch off in the stormy periodical, killing some poor wight, 
or, at least, startling the very realm with the explosion; 
spend another night in Parliament, and, after all this, get 
his stuff and tools ready for another thunderbolt before go- 
ing to sleep. 

John C. Calhoun, of our country, looks somewhat like 
such a character, as he is seen at his post in the Senate; the 
Champion of the South, angular, dark, and stern, as if 
hardened outside into leather by that sun which put the 
fervors within him. He is certainly long enduring at some 
sorts of work. He will take his own Carolina in his bosom, 
the other under his arm, and some half dozen sister States in 
his pockets, and fight the Northern cotton-mills till down 
they would go, were it riot for that tough tariff-screen first 
to be broken through to get fairly at the spinning-jennies. 
When Merrimac River gets tired, or becomes ice in sum- 
mer-time, then will this bilious Southerner get tired of the 
contest, and the strong, sweeping current of his spirit be 
frozen up, but hardly before. 

The next and last is the Nervous temperament. It is so 
denominated because the nerves preponderate over the 
grosser organization. Those possessing this have fine hair, 
and skins of gossamery texture, feeling to the quick the least 
harsh touch. They seem sensible of sharp corners in the 
very atoms of matter, which to common constitutions are 
round and harmless. These are those w r hom the poet says 

die of a rose in aromatic pain." Their pains are intense, 



a 



126 uncle sam's letters 

their pleasures exquisite, and rapidly exhaust the system 
they thrill through. Even with a brain of inferior size, this 
is supposed to possess a mental power which other tempera- 
ments could not equal without much larger dimensions. 
But there is a fragility proportioned to delicacy of structure. 
.People of this character are not made to struggle with the 
turbulent elements of life. What a difference between your 
abdominal table worshippers and these ! They do not live 
by feeding, but by tasting and looking at their aliment. 
Then their lungs are not of the leathern fabric, bellows- 
like, as with the sanguineous, blowing the oxygen through 
their systems with such force that it must have vent in 
action. Their muscles, again, are not steel rods or welded 
chains, but thin filaments of flesh, almost as delicate as the 
very nerves of the fat dozers under the dominion of Alimen- 
tiveness. 

With them the brain, that sensitive mass of nerves, is the 
master, and perhaps the tyrant, over all the rest of the body. 
With a certain combination of organs, the Nervites are 
amazing geniuses in literature. How they will dart out the 
electricities of thought, aud shed the sudden showers of feel- 
ing, and then hold up again like an April day ! Their brain- 
weather does not generally last long at a time. It is remark- 
able, moreover, that when there is considerable prominence 
just above and back of the ears, there are likely to be gusts 
not wholly literary. 

We have described the four temperaments as they are 
supposed to exist in distinct purity. But they are seldom 
found in this condition; they are generally mingled one with 
another in different proportions, giving an infinite variety 
to character. Were it not so, there would be two classes of 
human nature truly to be pitied, viz., the lymphatic clods 
prone beneath the two next and in their way, and the 
nervous electricities darting about high above all the rest, 
incalculable and unmanageable to anybody else, and an 
uncontrollable mystery even to themselves. 

This matter of temperament is an important element in 
the constitution of genius. When the proportions are just 



SOMETHING NEW 127 

right, and the proper organs are predominant, and the whole 
brain besides is large, then the possessor is one of the Powers 
of Light. Bryant's temperament does as much, probably, 
in making the first poet of America, as his Ideality, Com- 
parison, and Language. But for farther philosophy on the 
subject, and on other circumstances that modify mental 
manifestation, we refer to other writers who exercise a 
scientific precision to which we do not pretend: our busi- 
ness is to bow and beckon, and smile the leisure wanderer 
up to our side, then show him the way and send him along. 



LETTER XLIIL 

SOMETHING NEW. 

We have omitted to describe a few organs which several 
phrenologists suppose they have discovered, but which are 
not mentioned in the treatises of others, at least, as well 
established. It is conjectured that there is an organ named 
Concentrativeness, immediately above Inhabitiveness, 
which confers the power of concentrating the action of the 
rest of the faculties to their respective ends, and holding 
them for a greater length of time to their duty. 

It is thought, moreover, that just back of Ideality is a 
kindred organ, denominated Sublimity, which name suf- 
ficiently indicates its function. Mr. L. N. Fowler imagines 
that he has found certain faculties between the Reflectives 
beneath, and Benevolence and Imitation above. One of 
these he calls the organ of Human Nature. Its function is 
to give an intuitive perception of the prevailing thoughts, 
feelings, and general character of others, so as to enable 
one to adapt himself thereto. The other he names Suav- 
itiveness, as it imparts ease, grace, and agreeableness of 
manners. 

But the new science of Human Magnetism is doing 
wonders, in not only confirming the past discoveries in 
Phrenology, but in making new ones. It completely verifies 



128 uncle sam's letters 

the suppositions relating to the organs just mentioned. It 
has been found by these magnetic experiments, that most 
of the organs exist in double pairs; one pair taking cog- 
nizance of one branch of the specific subject, and the other 
of another branch; for instance, one organ of Causality ap- 
pertains to material objects, the other to metaphysical; one 
organ of Veneration is exercised toward man, the other 
toward God. 

There is another circumstance peculiarly worthy of re- 
mark; it is this, viz., that the upper pair, or that situated 
in the nobler region of the head, is devoted to the most 
elevated and refined division of the service. How strikingly 
analogous is this to the perfect and beautiful arrangements 
before exhibited! How does Creating Wisdom, when once 
perceived, give incontrovertible evidence of itself! 

Let not the reader smile in faithlessness at the above an- 
nouncements respecting Magnetism. Let him observe what 
many men of acute senses and unimpeachable integrity have 
clearly witnessed, and he also will wonderingly believe. 

Most of the preceding letters were written before we had 
any certain convictions on the subject of magnetic in- 
fluences as applied to Phrenology; but we have just had 
access to evidence we cannot gainsay or resist. We know 
one who has witnessed experiments which we will describe. 
We know, moreover, that he speaks the truth, as under the 
eye of the Judge of all truth. 

Before proceeding with our account, it may be well to 
state, that the Eev. La Eoy Sunderland, of New York, as 
far as we know, was the first to apply Magnetism to phren- 
ological and scientific purposes.* His magnetic experi- 
ments, we learn, have been repeated with the most surpris- 
ing and gratifying results during the past year, and, as he 
thinks, have demonstrated the following assumptions: 

" 1. That the magnetic forces not only pervade all mat- 

* Mr. Peale in Barnum's Museum was prior to Sunderland- 
in this exhibition of phreno-magnetism. 

We have seen it stated that Dr. Buchanan, of Kentucky, 
has made some similar discoveries. 



PHRENOMAGNETISM 129 

ter, but that every living being has a peculiar magnetic 
nature. 

" 2. That these forces are the means of motion and sen- 
sation. 

" 3. That every mental and physical organ, and every 
muscle, has its corresponding magnetic poles. 

" 4. That the magnetic forces which act in the different 
organs terminate in the face, and by means of them the 
various expressions of Fear, Hope, Love, Anger, etc., are ex- 
pressed in the countenance, and the muscles and limbs are 
made to obey the human will. 

" 5. That these organs may be excited separately, or their 
action modified by Magnetism, as the condition of the 
patient may require. 

" 6. That this magnetic nature is governed by laws pe- 
culiar to itself, and may be communicated from one person 
to another." 

We shall have occasion to mention some of the new organs 
which have been brought to light by these experiments, as 
Mr. Sunderland has had the kindness to repeat a number 
of them on a blind lady, which we shall now briefly describe, 
as they were exhibited to the witness for his special gratifi- 
cation, and with particular reference to this work, then 
going through the press. There were four or five persons 
in the room besides the magnetizer, the subject, and the 
witness. The circumstances were such that there could be 
no possible collusion between the parties, or deception in 
any way; this we know for a certainty, the exhibitions were 
made at different sittings on different days; the experiments 
of the first day being repeated in different connections and 
with varying aspects on the second day, together with en- 
tirely new additions. The witness, it may be well to state, 
was put in magnetic communication with the subject, so as 
to converse as freely with her as if she had been in her 
natural and waking condition. 

For the sake of method and clearness, we shall present 
the facts in the manner they occurred, but not in the order. 

Phrenologists had previously discovered, as they thought, 
9 



130 uncle sam's letters 

an organ connected with Adhesiveness, whose function is 
to create that attachment of sex to sex which is of a more 
refined and delicate character than physical love. They 
called it " Union for Life/ 7 appertaining to that exquisite 
tenderness and blending of soul with soul which should 
exist and be permanent in the marriage relation. Mag- 
netism has confirmed this conjecture into truth beyond 
doubt. Mr. Sunderland, in presence of our witness, mag- 
netized this organ. The subject immediately began to ex- 
press the strongest attachment to an individual. " Who 
is he ?" was the inquiry. At first, with the most natural but 
unaffected delicacy, she declined answering, but at length 
confessed that it was a little boy she knew many years ago. 
She was asked his name. This she would not divulge at first, 
but, on being solicited, gave it. The witness then sug- 
gested to the magnetizer to influence Hope, which he did. 
She immediately expressed the most gladdening anticipations 
of again seeing her earliest love. But when the witness in- 
formed her that he knew several of that name, and saw them 
every day, and would inquire if one was not the individual 
in question, she became almost frantic with the joyfulness of 
hope. " Will you, will you ? " exclaimed she, her counte- 
nance kindling into an intense glow of pleasure, even 
ecstasy, which no art could possibly counterfeit. 

As in this description we would somewhat observe the 
order we have followed in our work, we will here state that 
at a third and different place Philoprogenitiveness was mag- 
netized, and the lady expressed the most intense desire for a 
child to caress and pour out her affection upon. A shawl, 
rolled up, was placed in her lap, and she willed by the magne- 
tizer to believe it a child. She enfolded it in her arms, 
pressed it to her bosom, and kissed it over and over, as if she 
had been a mother who, after months of separation, had 
been permitted to embrace her babe. We may remark, as we 
pass, that the organ doubling with Philoprogenitiveness is 
one producing affection for pets. 

Adhesiveness was affected with the influence, and the 
subject expressed the warmest friendship for the witness 



PHKENO-MAGNETISM 131 

who had hold of her hand. Another organ was then 
touched, and she drew back with a sudden impulse, with- 
drawing her hand, which was stiffened and extended as if 
pointing with scorn, while her features expressed the most 
marked dislike. The organ of this manifestation was a 
newly discovered one, which has been named, for the time 
being, at least, Aversion. This is the mate of Combative- 
ness, and just in front of it. 

Combativeness being operated on, she began immediately 
to smite her hands together, demonstrating a spirit of angry 
contention. Destructiveness being excited, she exhibited 
at once a maniacal fury, and tore a cloth put into her hands 
quickly to shreds. One of this pair of organs is supposed to 
exercise the ordinary function of destructiveness, the other 
the resentful emotion, which, in its bad excess, is revenge 
and malice. 

Alimentiveness being excited, she was so suddenly 
phrensied with the desire to eat, that she set her teeth into 
her own hand before an apple which had been procured 
could be got into her grasp. She craunched the fruit with 
the voracity of starvation. 

Acquisitiveness being touched, she expressed the keenest 
desire to be rich. A piece of money being presented, she 
p;rasped it as if it were the only desirable thing in the world. 
Then Secretiveness being moved, she turned round and 
sought on the table her reticule, that she might hide it, she 
said, which she endeavored to do in the most hurried man- 
ner possible, as if fearing that some one in the intermediate 
moment should discover her possession. Benevolence then 
being affected, -she wavered between the love of the money 
and the desire to give it away. 

In passing, we will remark, that the lower Secretiveness 
is exercised in the ordinary business of life, the upper in 
keeping secrets intrusted, and in other moral relations. 

Lower Cautiousness made her exhibit the utmost fear of 
falling, so that she clung to the witness for support. This 
fear was that most likely to arise in one who, in her blind- 
ness, had been more exposed to danger of this sort than al- 



132 uncle sam's letters 

most any other. Upper Cautiousness [trod need strongly 
expressed apprehensions of the Divine displeasure. 

One of the most striking displays arose from the affection 
of Self-Esteem. She immediately set herself up in a most 
commanding position, with excessive hauteur of counte- 
nance. On being questioned, she announced herself as being 
better than any one living excepting her magnetizer; even 
as queen of the world, and this in the most pompous tones of 
voice. 

Approbativeness gave her an intense desire to exhibit her- 
self; to dress richly, and walk Broadway in the throng of 
fashion. She turned her head down a little this side, then 
that, with a mincingness of mouth, and general flutter of 
person, which no actor could possibly equal. The exhibi- 
tion was so perfect a satire on individuals one now and then 
meets with, that, could they have seen it, they must have 
flied, or, at least, been desperately sick of their own con- 
sciousness of character. 

A new organ has been discovered, which seems to be the 
mate of Approbativeness, and situated between this and 
Self-Esteem, whose function seems to be to give the sen- 
timent of Modesty. This affected, and the lady immediately 
folded her arms as close as possible round her own neck, and 
sunk her face, reddening with blushes, down between them. 
At another time she in a twinkling flung her apron over her 
face and head, and would not speak on earnest entreaty, so 
intense was her modest shame. 

Tune gave her a keen desire to sing; at an exhibition in 
the New York Museum, under the magnetic operations of 
Mr. Peale, she sang, with the accompaniment of the piano, 
with a various skill of performance utterly impossible to her 
in her waking condition. Two organs of Tune have been 
discovered, we understand, one of Melody, the other of 
Harmony. 

Time being affected, she began beating time with the 
most clock-like precision of movement. 

Mirthfulness caused excessive laughter. The discovery 
of the doubleness of this organ solves a phrenological dif- 



PHREiNO-MAGNETISM 133 

ficulty. The one nearest to Causality excites wit, the other 
playfulness and laughter. It is now clearly accounted for, 
how excessive laughter may not possess a particle of wit, and 
the keenest wit be quite devoid of the laughing propensity. 

Ideality made her express the most exquisite admiration 
of the Beautiful. She talked about poetry, and repeated 
some verse with exceeding appropriateness of intonation 
and emphasis. 

Sublimity being excited in connection with the kindred 
organ, she rose immediately to a loftier strain. Her ideas 
seemed too big for utterance, and she could only exclaim 
about the errand and sublime. Belief was then touched in 
connection, and she seemed to have distinct conceptions of 
glorious visionary scenes which she could not describe. 

We may here remark, that the doctrine we have pre- 
sented in regard to the organ of Wonder, or Belief, as we 
have termed it, receives by the magnetic demonstrations 
the most satisfactory confirmation. The only exception is, 
that the organ is double; the lower one relating to human 
statements, and the upper to faith in God and spiritual 
things. The ordinary function of the inferior faculty is to 
produce that necessary credence of one toward another, 
without which education could not be conducted, and the 
business and intercourse of daily life would cease, or fall into 
wretched confusion. . 

Lower Belief being slightly affected, and Mary being 
asked how she felt, replied, " I can believe anything that you 
will tell me." The influence being increased, she immedi- 
ately manifested an inclination to the Marvellous. Certain 
improbable and impossible things were mentioned, such as 
that Niagara Falls had been swept away, and the North 
River was running backward, and that a church was seen 
taking flight into the air, and she expressed the most ready 
belief in the statements, accompanied with an expression of 
wonder on her countenance beyond all power of feigning. 

The upper organ of Belief being touched, Mary expressed 
the profoundest faith in God: a most calm and heaven-like 
feeling, she affirmed. 



134 UNCLE SAM'S LETTERS 

The organ of Human Nature and Suavitiveness which 
Fowler had discovered, she located directly above Compari- 
son and Causality. This position of Human Nature is per- 
fectly analogical with the other arrangements of the brain: 
it is directly in a line with Individuality, Eventuality, and 
Comparison; it is exercised toward individuals and their 
eventful characters; it naturally must bring Comparison 
into action, in the case of discriminating between one and 
another. This organ was excited, and, being asked how she 
felt, she replied that she seemed to see people's characters. 
She concentrated her mind on the character of the witness, 
and labored with a strong impression which she tried to 
express, but could not find language. There was no mis- 
take in the organ and its manifestation. She located 
Suavitiveness just above Causality. On the excitement of 
this, she gave the natural language of suavity of manners in 
' her tones and mien. 

Benevolence — the foremost organ, gives general liberality 
of feeling, and a desire to do good. The one back excites 
compassion toward suffering. She gave distinct manifesta- 
tions of both. The picture of an unfortunate human being 
was presented to her perceptions — cerebral, not ocular — and 
she expressed the deepest concern. On the subsequent da\, 
on Benevolence being magnetized, immediately, without 
the suggestion of any one, she recurred to the object of pity 
observed the day before, with anxious concern for his relief. 

The witness had long conjectured that there must be a 
distinct organ for expressing that most common^ and, in 
some, very strong feeling, Gratitude. Mr. Sunderland had 
also assumed the same, although no attempts had yet been 
made toward its discovery. The witness inquired of the 
subject if there was such an organ. She immediately replied 
Yes, and directly pointed it out. It is just back of Benevo- 
lence; the front set of organs appertaining to men, and 
those next to veneration to God. They being subjected 
separately to the influence, she began at once to demonstrate 
gratitude in the first case to the witness, in the second 



PHRENO-MAGNETISM 135 

toward God. How appropriate the location! how perfect 
the order ! 

Veneration made her at once put herself in the posture of 
worship, crossing her hands with a sweetly solemn aspect 
of countenance, and, on being questioned, expressing in 
language her delight in devotion. Then, in connection, 
Faith and Hope were influenced, and her face assumed a 
most seraphic expression. Being asked* how she felt, " 0, 
I am in heaven!" was the answer; meaning she enjoyed 
heavenly happiness. In this state she besought not to be 
disturbed, but to be left to her blessedness. 

It occurred to the witness that, if Self-Esteem were mag- 
netized, she would necessarily manifest that self -righteous- 
ness which very good people sometimes seem to feel. It was 
done; and she lifted herself up at her full height in her seat, 
and her modest bending devotion had fled. " How do you 
feel, Mary ? " was the question. " 0, 1 am good; I am better 
than anybody else ! " Conscientiousness was now touched, 
and then she wavered :"0,I am good, but it does not seem 
right," was the exclamation. " But I cannot help it; I do 
feel that I am good, if it is not right," or words quite similar. 
The influence being removed from Conscientiousness, she 
was stiffly upright again, with an expression of face inimit- 
able, and in positive and pompous language exclaimed, " I 
am good ! " 

It may here be stated, that one organ of Conscientiousness 
appertains to justice between man and man, the other to 
the relations between man and his Maker, independent of 
fellow-beings. 

Firmness was also excited with appropriate demonstra- 
tions. One organ relates to perseverance in common pur- 
suits, the other to steadfastness in what is right. 

An organ of Wilfulness has been discovered just back of 
Self-Esteem, which is the mate of this organ. This being 
influenced, the subject exhibited the utmost determination 
of character by her countenance and the position of her 
frame.* 

* Obstinacy should be the name instead of Wilfulness. 



136 uncle sam's letters 

The organ of Language is supposed to be in triple pairs, 
appertaining to three distinct divisions of the subject. 
Manifestations of these and of several other organs, as ex- 
cited by Magnetism, were not presented to the witness. It 
is anticipated that fresh and interesting discoveries will still 
be numerously made by the same means, as, indeed, two new 
facts at least were elicited at these sittings before the witness. 

It is found, moreover, that there is a magnetic connection 
between the organs and the face, by means of which an 
appropriate expression of features is given. This termina- 
tion of the magnetic currents in the countenance is called 
the poles of the organs: this, however, has been intimated 
before. 

Here we end our account. We have given it because it is 
true, and presents Phrenology under a new and most in- 
teresting aspect to the reader; an aspect which we trust will 
induce him to investigate the science far beyond our humble 
work. We are sure he will, if he has the least leisure and 
the least love for the philosophy of man's highest nature, 
or any due sense of the momentousness of truth. 

Thus far we had proceeded in our letter, when the March 
number of the American Phrenological Journal was pre- 
sented to our notice. Within it we find an article by the 
editor, detailing experiments with the blind patient similar 
to those above described, and which he (0. S. Fowler) him- 
self witnessed. There is also a description of the pairs of 
organs, and a quite minute and interesting account of that 
connection of the brain with the face, which, for the lack of 
a better term at this crisis of discovery, is denominated poles 
of the organs. 

We will here just quote a brief passage from the aforesaid 
journal, as a sort of card of admittance to the confidence of 
our own readers. 

In relation to these magnetic discoveries, the editor thus 
writes: " We assure our readers that we have a rich banquet 
of philosophical and phrenological fact, which we are sure 
will delight and expand every reflecting mind. Every sup- 
posed discovery, thus far, is beautiful, indescribably beauti- 



ADVANTAGES OF PHRENOLOGY 137 

fill; accounting for, and according with the well-known 
facts and phenomena of mind so perfectly, that no reflect- 
ing person can close his eyes upon the truth. If any of our 
readers are doubtful as to this matter, let them come to New 
York, and we will soon show them what we describe, and 
show them, too, the utter impossibility of collusion or de- 
ception." 

Good friends, this phrenological editor writes not without 
" testimony," if he has not yet got clearly at the " law " that 
goes with it. Be assured that there are hidden behind these 
curtains of clay, powers of the spirit, of which Philosophy 
has yet scarcely dreamed, but of which she is now, all watch- 
ful, getting a startling glimpse. At the announcement of 
the new, let Kidicule remember Galileo, Harvey, and Fulton, 
at the confirmation of whose discoveries Bigotry and Con- 
tempt covered their faces, ashamed, and hasted away. 

Phrenology and Magnetism — Philosophy has written 
these two names on her forehead. Thereunder she is mak- 
ing developments as true as the turning of the globe, the cir- 
culation of the blood, and the speed of stream-power. She is 
eliciting truths, indeed, as much superior to those dis- 
coveries as living man is superior to the matter he is lord 
over, or the immortal spirit is nobler than the dull clay that 
conceals it. 

LETTER XLIV. 

ADVANTAGES OF PHRENOLOGY. 

We close our Eecommendation by a few remarks on the 
advantages of Phrenology. We have adverted to them here 
and there through our work, but a more compact and de- 
tailed enumeration may be of use. Its advantages ! indeed, 
what mind of the least reflection, with two grains of candor, 
and any kind of Ideality or Perfectiveness, does not already 
perceive them ? But we will just clap down a few particu- 
lars, for fear some one may need our help. 

1. If Phrenology is true, who can doubt its utility ? 



138 uncle sam's letters 

Was ever scientific truth known to be useless, and especially 
that which pertains to the great and Divine laws of flesh 
and spirit? As a mere matter of study, like any other 
science, it cannot but be useful in exercising the intellect, 
and enlarging the comprehension of man's nature, and 
God's wisdom and goodness. Tt cannot but tend to inspire 
the created with a sense of his dignity, and fill him with 
adoring love toward the Creator. 

2. It will lead to the obedience of that ancient, all-im- 
portant maxim, " Know thyself." Such knowledge will 
enable one to adopt a vocation precisely fitted to his talents. 
It will give him clearly to understand his naturally vicious 
tendencies, so as to repress them in the outset; to perceive 
the weakness of any moral faculty, and thus to lend it an 
early and watchful nurture. Phrenology would tend to wed 
preaching and practice in a manner which ministerial per- 

•formers have yet seldom equalled. We commend it, there- 
fore, substantially, if not technically, to the pulpit, as well 
as to those who sit under it. 

3. You know that Charity is the greatest of the Graces, 
yet how hard to put on its unwrinkled, broadly embracing 
mantle, and make it sit well and suit to perfection. Phre- 
nology will make the duty as easy as it is for fashion to put 
on its shifting dresses, and, indeed, far easier; for these 
often sit abominably, and pinch to the point of disease, and 
even death. Our science reveals constitutional tendencies; 
the natural and greater safety of one, and the stronger and 
pitiable temptations of another fellow-mortal. 

4. Phrenology will prompt the judicatory guardians of 
the public safety to exercise mercy in their awards to crime; 
to place the miserable felon in circumstances where his in- 
tellectual, or, at least, his moral nature, can be nurtured into 
all possible strength, and blessed with the felicity of growth. 
If he may not be permitted to roam at large in society, he 
will be deemed worthy, as God's offspring, of something 
better than absolute and perpetual solitude, within cold 
granite walls, or silent, thankless drudgery, though in com- 
pany, over unsympathetic stone. Let Justice go with our 



ADVANTAGES OF PHRENOLOGY 139 

science to the Penitentiary, and look at the cerebral de- 
formities there, and she will come back with another con- 
panion — Compassion. We would not, however, prevent 
due attention to the criminal, but let it be due attention. 
" A man's a man for a' that; " and is as worthy of considera- 
tion, though held fast, as are official peculation, genteel 
swindling, and high-life forgery, let go. 

5. Phrenology, generally and practically understood, 
would be of immense political utility. It would enable the 
people to guard against the deceptive pretensions of little 
would-be great men, and the base arts of selfish demagogues. 
This measurement of heads, notice of particular organs, to- 
gether with insight into temperament, would keep many 
aspirants where they ought to be kept, viz., to private life. 
Mere lumber would not be loaded off to the legislative hall 
or to the executive chair; and dishonest, intriguing talent 
would not soar thither on the breezy hurrah. Phrenology 
would teach the voter to look first to Conscience, next to In- 
tellect, but closely to both. It would inform him, moreover, 
in regard to party opinions, that the political oracle who 
possesses the largest Perceptives, surmounted by equal Ke- 
flectives, and above all, and indispensably, crowned with the 
loftiest Conscientiousness, is most likely to belong to the 
right party, and be the safest oracle. Let the Genius of 
Freedom, with Christianity on one side and Phrenology on 
the other, sit sublime in this her mighty continental home, 
and how would the nations wait around to catch her smile 
and take advice, and how would thrones grow dim and 
tremble at her rebuke ! 

6. Phrenology would be of blessed use in forming that 
most important and dear of all earthly ties, the marriage 
relation. Gentle maiden, study it; study it, as you value 
your peace, as you would mate yourself into a happy home, 
and especially as you would train yourself to make that 
home a paradise to the chosen of your heart. This is no 
laughing matter, although you may mirthfully read it. 
Could you see with the Perceptions our science would put 
into your power, you would infinitely prefer life-long single- 



140 uncle sam's letters 

ness in your native abode, or severest toil among strangers, 
to the hand which otherwise might crush you, body and 
spirit, to uttermost misery. 

Young, hopeful man! the same doctrine will apply to 
you. With our science, you would often find beauty as but 
ashes, ay, ashes with fire in them, too. On the altar of wed- 
lock they would shoot up the flame of sacrifice indeed — the 
sacrifice of a husband's peace. Wisdom, enshrined in Phre- 
nology, calls aloud to both sexes, " Come unto me -and learn. 
Get understanding; it is better than rubies, whether in the 
casket of manhood, or on the countenance of woman ! " 

7. Finally, our Philosophy presents advantages, most 
incalculable and momentous, in man's chief end on earth — 
Education; the training of his nature for happiness below 
and above, and for the glory of God. Fathers and mothers, 
study it, as you love your children better than anything 
else here, except, perhaps, the parent mate. It would, in 
their early infancy, give you that knowledge of their con- 
stitutional character, without which you might neglect, or 
indulge them to their ruin. Behold that twain-natured gift 
from the bosom of earth and the Father of Spirits, reposing 
on the maternal lap; how innocent! how interesting! 
What elements of temporal fortune, of everlasting destiny, 
are infolded in that helpless, scarcely conscious babe! Should 
its angel, which, in Scripture language, now beholds the 
face of the Father in heaven, descend visibly into your home, 
and there, with melodious eloquence, instruct you in your 
child's peculiar character and wants, and how you could 
best adapt yourselves thereto, and be successful educators, 
blessed and blessing, would you not listen ? would you not 
obey ? That angel cometh not; but there is one here within 
your call — her whom we have now recommended. She has 
been sent by Providence to this latter age — and to you. 
Consult her, and she will speak in tones truthfully harmoni- 
ous, and with a persuasion divine, for it is given her by God. 
Save that babe, that it may at last go up to its welcoming 
angel who is waiting in the presence of the Father most 
High! 



MAGNETIC AND PHRENOLOGICAL DISCOVERIES 141 



Dear friends, our task is finished. May our Recommenda- 
tion not be without effect. Send it, ye Handmaids of 
Science; speed it, Spirit of Patriotism; spread it, Christian 
Philanthropy, as wide as the popular use and acceptance of 
our Name ! 



APPENDIX. 

MAGNETIC AND PHRENOLOGICAL DISCOVERIES. 

Having alluded, in the preceding- pages, to some magnetic 
and phrenological discoveries made the past year by the Rev. 
La Roy Sunderland, of New York, the author cannot doubt 
but his readers will be gratified on seeing the following brief 
account of them, from the pen of Mr. Sunderland himself, as 
quoted from the New York Watchman. 

"For some fifteen years past I have given my attention, more 
or less, to the study of the Nervous System, and have made use 
of all the means in my power for investigating the laws of 
Human Physiology. My mind was first interested in this sub- 
ject by seeing persons very strangely affected under religious 
excitement, when they were said to ' lose their strength,' and 
swoon away, as in cases, of catalepsy. In these cases, I have 
frequently known the limbs and the entire system to become 
perfectly rigid, and sometimes persons have assumed to have 
visions, trances, etc., and I have known them to lie in this state 
more than forty-eight hours at one time. 

"These and similar phenomena led me to suppose the exist- 
ence of laws which governed the Nervous System, or some 
other substance, identical with the living human body, which 
had not been understood, and which afforded the only true 
foundation which could be assigned for anything real which 
has ever taken place under the name of Mesmerism. Accord- 
ingly, about a year ago, I determined on an investigation of 
this subject, for the purpose of sifting it to the bottom, and 
ascertaining how far the Nervous System could be affected by 
the influence of the human will. The results of my first 



142 uncle sam's letters 

cerebral experiments were published in the course of the past 
year, and excited the attention of numerous scientific gentle- 
men in this city and elsewhere, many of whom have repeatedly 
suggested to me the propriety of furnishing an account of 
them in a volume. This I design to do, as soon as I can find 
sufficient time for arranging and preparing the materials 
which I have collected for this purpose. 

" I wish it to be distinctly understood, that in making known 
these discoveries, illustrating and proving, as I am confident 
they do, the science of Phrenology and the Magnetic Nature of 
Man, I do not endorse the ten thousand silly stories? which have 
been put in circulation by the enemies or dupes of mesmerism. 
The results of my experiments have been witnessed by num- 
bers of medical and scientific gentlemen in this city, and they 
have been performed under such a vast variety of circum- 
stances, that collusion was altogether out of the question, 
as the subjoined testimonies are sufficient to demonstrate. 

" These discoveries are so new, so wonderful in their nature, 
and in their consequences promise so much in behalf of Men- 
tal Science, that it is not to be supposed that they will be ad- 
mitted by any who do not use the necessary means to satisfy 
themselves of their truth. 

" They may be briefly stated as follows: 

" 1. That every living being possesses a peculiar magnetic 
nature, which is governed by laws of its own. 

" 2. That the two magnetic forces are the means of sensa- 
tion, and voluntary and involuntary motion. 

" 3. That every mental and physical organ, and every muscle, 
lias its corresponding poles. 

" 4. That the magnetic forces from the different organs 
terminate in the face and neck, and by means of them the 
various expressions of Fear, Hope, Love, Anger, etc., are ex- 
pressed in the countenance, and the muscles and limbs are 
made to obey the human will, thus laying the only true and 
rational foundation for Physiognomy, and the expression of 
the passions and feelings in the features of the face. 

" 5. That these organs and their poles may be excited 
separately, or their action modified, as the condition of the 
patient may require. 

" 6. That the phrenological organs are not only located in 
groups, but most, if not all of them, exist in double pairs ! and some 
in triple or quadruple pairs! 



MAGNETIC AND PHRENOLOGICAL DISCOVERIES 143 

" 7. That the poles in the face are grouped in correspondence 
with the phrenological organs. 

"8. That one pair of the organs (the Intellectual and De- 
votional ones especially) are more elevated and refined in their 
exercises than the others. Thus I find that the lower organs 
of Comparison take cognizance of things, the upper ones com- 
pare ideas; the lower organs of Causality are exercised on 
things, the upper on metaphysical subjects, etc. 

" 9. That some of the organs exist in opposition to each 
other; as, for instance, Love and Aversion, Self -Esteem and Sub- 
mission, Contentment and Complaining, Joy and Sadness, etc., etc. 

" This discovery is exceedingly interesting, and every phre- 
nologist will at once perceive how immensely important it is to 
the science, and how satisfactorily it explains many difficulties 
which have hitherto perplexed and embarrassed those most 
experienced in this interesting study. 

" Most of the cerebral organs being in double pairs, their 
number must, of course, be much larger than that heretofore 
supposed. These experiments have demonstrated the ex- 
istence and location of a number of new organs, among which 
are the following; for instance, Retribution, Gratitude, Patriot- 
ism, Jealousy, Modesty, Aversion, Complaining, Smell, Taste, Pity, 
Regularity, Cheerfulness, Weeping, Wit as distinguished from 
simple Mirthfulness, Joy, Contentment, Method, etc., etc. 

" That these discoveries are real, and founded in the nature of 
man, and that they will ultimately be admitted and advocated, as 
their importance demands, I as fully believe as I do that the sun 
will continue to rise and set. And to have been an humble 
instrument in first making' these facts known to the world, 
affords me more pleasure than I could ever derive from silver 
or gold, or all that this earth can afford. 

" I have, times without number, produced Sleep-waking, Som- 
nambulism, Monomania, Insanity, or Madness, and removed the 
excitement at pleasure. By operating on the poles in the face, 
action may be produced or suppressed in the heart, lungs, liver, 
spleen, kidneys, stomach, larynx, etc., or any muscle or limb 
in the system; and by the same means, I have found that the 
nerves of sensation throughout the system may be excited or 
paralyzed, and to a degree truly astonishing to such as have 
never seen these most interesting phenomena. 

" In conclusion, I would request the attention of the candid 
to the following 



144 



UNCLE SAMS LETTERS 



" ' New York, March 2, 1842. 
" ' The subscribers have been present, and witnessed numer- 
ous cerebral experiments performed by the Rev. La Eoy Sun- 
derland, by which various phenomena were produced in the 
mental exercises of the patient, such as Sleep-waking, Laughing, 
Singing, and the states of mind resembling- Madness, Monomania, 
Insanity, etc., were brought on and removed in a few seconds 
of time. In our opinion, there was no collusion in the produc- 
tion of these phenomena; but, as far as we can judge, they 
seem to have been brought about by the application of laws to 
the human system which have not been well understood here- 
tofore, and which have not received that attention which the 
importance of the subject would seem to demand. 

" * H. H. Sherwood, M.D., 
" ' Eev. Isaac Covert, 
" ' Eev. J. H. Martyn, 
" ' O. S. Fowler.' 

" ' Neiv York, March 2, 1842. 

" ' Let this certify, that I have been present several times 
when the Eev. La Eoy Sunderland made his magnetic experi- 
ments upon a blind girl named Mary. These experiments were 
conducted in the presence of a number of gentlemen, medical 
and scientific, and at each sitting there were different persons 
present. No appearance of an attempt at collusion on his part 
was in the least degree perceptible, and, from my knowledge 
of his character, I do not suspect any. I feel more freely en- 
titled to give this certificate, because, not having sufficiently 
examined the subject, I have my doubts as to any practical 
results which may be, certainly, in all cases, derived from such 
magnetic operations. The honest ardor displayed by Mr. 
Sunderland to reach truth, is, to myself, abundant proof of his 
sincerity. 

" ' Daniel L. M. Peixotto, M.D., 
" ' Formerly President of the N. Y. Medical Society.'' 

" ' The new discoveries in Human Physiology and Psychol- 
ogy which he proposes to unfold, are indeed of the most as- 
tonishing character, and, if substantiated, will place Phre- 
nology and Magnetism among the most important of the posi- 



NOTE 145 

tive sciences. Our acquaintance with the subject is very slight, 
but we know Kev. La Eoy Sunderland, and we can say, with 
the utmost confidence, that neither his integrity nor sagacity 
will be questioned by any who enjoy his acquaintance. — New 
York Tribune, Feb. 23, 1842.' 

" It is believed that the results of these experiments demon- 
strate the assumption above stated, and that they give the only 
true explanation of Somnambulism, Monomania, Insanity, Dream- 
ing, and other mental phenomena, which have hitherto re- 
mained shrouded in mystery. 



a 



La Eoy Sunderland. 



New York, March 11, 1842." 



THE END. 



Note. — In referring to the particular and relative situations 
of the organs in the head, the author has adopted the locations 
of Combe and others; arid it was, at first, intended to present 
here a copy of the plate in Combe's " Phrenology." But recent 
discoveries have proved the locations as designated by the 
Fowlers to be more correct; a copy from one of their plates 
has therefore been preferred. In a few instances organs, sup- 
posed by the author to be conjoined, are separated above. But 
most of the locations are as described in this treatise. Human 
Nature and Suavitiveness haA^e been altered from the plate 
copied, and put here in the positions made known by late 
curious investigations. A Phrenological cast will add much to 
the interest and accuracy of inquiry, and is certainly worth 
the possession of every one who would study himself and his 
fellow-men. That marked by the Fowlers is at present prob- 
ably the most accurate. See " Model Head," page vi. 



Works by 

NELSON SIZER 



• •••• 

Choice of Pursuits ; or, What to Do and Why 

Describing seventy-five Trades and Professions, and the Tempera- 
ments and Talents required for each; with Portraits and Biogra 
phies of many successful Thinkers and Workers. 12mo, extra 
cloth, 508 pp. $2.00. 

How to Teach According to Temperament and Mental 
Development; or, Phrenology in the School- 
room and the Family 

With many illustrations. l2mo. extra cloth, 351 pp. Price, $1.50. 
One of the greatest difficulties in the training of children arises 
from not understanding their temperament and disposition. This 
work points out the constitutional differences, and how to make the 
most of each. 

Forty Years in Phrenology 

Embracing Recollections of History, Anecdote, and Experience. 
12mo, extra cloth, 413 pp. Price, $1.50. 

Heads and Faces : How to Study Them 

A new Manual of Character Reading for the People, by Prof. 
Nelson Sizer and Dr. H. S. Drayton. It is full of the subject 
and contains 200 pages, 250 striking illustrations from life. Paper, 
40 cents; cloth, $1.00. 

How to Study Strangers by Temperament, Face and Head 

A sequel to Heads and Faces. This book embodies the ripened 
experience of the author during more than fifty years of constant 
study and practice and seems to round out a long life replete with 
opportunity, healthful vigor and persistent industry. 

Students of themselves or of strangers will find in every page 
something to illumine their search for human science and lighten 
the labor of progress. Royal octavo, 384 pages, 315 illustrations. 
Paper, 70 cents; extra cloth, $1.50. 



FOWLER & WELLS CO., 21 East 21st St., New York 



How can I learn Phrenology?" 

"I desire to be able to understand strangers at sight as a 
means of success in business and as a source of interest and 
pleasure. ' ' 

In responding to such questions we advise the perusal of the 
best text books on Phrenology, such as are embodied in the 

"STUDENTS SET " com P' ete b y express for $10. 



BRAIN AND MIND; or, Mental Science 
Considered in Accordance with the Prin- 
ciples of Phrenology and in Relation to 
Modern Physiology. Illustrated. By H. 
S . Drayton. A.M., M.D., and James 
McNiel, A.M. $1.50. 

THE TEMPERAMENTS; or, Varieties of 
Physical Constitution in Man, considered 
in their relation to Mental Character and 
Practical Affairs of Life. By D. H. 
Jacques, M.D. With an introduction by 
H. S. 4 Drayton, A.M., editor of the 
Phrenological Journal. 150 illustrations. 
Cloth, Si. 50. 

HOW TO READ CHARACTER. A New 

Illastrated Handbook of Phrenology and 
Physiognomy, for students and examin- 
ers, with a Chart for recording the sizes 
of the different organs of the brain in the 
delineation of character ; with upward of 
one hundred and seventy engravings. 
$1.25. 

POPULAR PHYSIOLOGY. A Familiar 
Exposition of the Structures, Functions, 
and Relations of the Human System and 
the preservation of health. $1.00. 



THE PHRENOLOGICAL BUST, showing 
the location of each of the Organs. Large 
size, fi.oo. 

NEW PHYSIOGNOMY; or, Signs of Chai 
acter, as manifested through tempera- 
ment and external forms, and especially 
in the "Human Face Divine." With 
more than one thousand illustrations. 
$5.00. 

CHOICE OF PURSUITS ; or, What to Do 
and Why. Describing seventy-five traces 
and professions, and the temperaments 
and talents required for each. Also, how 
to educate on phrenological principles- 
each man for his proper work ; together 
with portraits and biographies of many 
successful thinkers and workers. $2.00. 

CONSTITUTION OF MAN; Considered 
in Relation to External Objects. The 
only authorized American edition. With 
twenty engravings and a portrait of the 
author. $1.25. 

HEADS AND FACES AND HOW TO 
STUDY THEM. A Manual of Phre- 
nology and Physiognomy for the People. 
By Nelson Sizer and H. S. Drayton. 
Oct., paper, 40c. 



This list is recommended to persons who desire to secure 
a knowledge of the subject by 



Private Study at Home 



as well as to those who propose later on to attend the Institute, 
the annual sessions of which open on the first Tuesday of Sep- 
tember, and persons at a distance desiring full information on 
the subject may inclose ten cents in stamps or coin and ask for 
a pamphlet entitled "Phrenology in Actual Life," which ex- 
plains fully the Institute matters. 



FOWLER & WELLS CO., 27 East 21st Street, New Voife. 



Brain and ffiind, 



OK, MENTAL SCIENCE CONSIDERED IN 
ACCORDANCE WITH THE PRINCIPLES 
OF PHRENOLOGY AND IN RELA- 
TION TO MODERN PHILOSOPHY. 

By H. S. Drayton, A.M., M.D.,and James McNeill, 
A.B. Illustrated with over One Hundred Portraits and 
Diagrams. $1.50. 

The following, from the Table of Contents, shows 
the scope and character of the work : 



General Principles. 

The Temperaments. 

Structure of the Brain and Skull. 

Classification of the Faculties. 

The Selfish Organs. 

The Intellect. 

The Semi-Intellectual Faculties. 

The Organs of the Social Func- 
tions. 

The Moral and Religious Senti- 
ments. 



The Selfish Sentiments. 

How to Examine Heads. 

How Character is Manifested. 

The Action of the Faculties. 

The Relation of Phrenology to Meta- 
physics and Education. 

Value of Phrenology as an Art. 

Phrenology and Physiology. 

Objections and Confirmations by the 
Physiologists. 

Phrenology in General Literature. 



In style and treatment it is adapted to the general reader, 
abounds with valuable instruction expressed in clear, practical 
terms, and the work constitutes by far the best Text-book on 
Phrenology published, and is adapted to both private and class 
study. 

The illustrations of the Special Organs and Faculties are for 
the most part from portraits of men and women whose characters 
are known, and great pains have been taken to exemplify with 
accuracy the significance of the text in each case. For the student 
of human nature and character the work is of the highest value. 

It is printed on fine paper, and substantially bound in extra 
cloth. By mail, postpaid, on receipt of price, $1.50. Address, 

FOWLER & WELLS CO., Publishers, 

27 East 2 1 st Street, New York. 



THE BEST FOOD BOOKS. 

Health in the Household : 

Or Hygienic Cookery. By Susanna W. Dodds, A.M., M.D. 12 mo, 608 pp. 
Cloth or Fine Oil Cloth binding, $2 00. 

Fruits and How to Use Them: 

A practical Manual for Housekeepers, containing nearly 700 recipes for the 
wholesome preparation of Foreign and Domestic Fruits. By Mrs. Hester 
M. Poole. 242 pp. Extra Cloth, $1.00. Popular Edition, 50 cents. 

Food and Diet : 

With observations on the Dietetical Regimen, suited for disordered states 
of the Digestive Organs, and an account of the Dietaries of some of the 
Principal Metropolitan and other establishments for Paupers, Lunatics, 
Criminals, Children, the sick, etc. By Jonathan Pereira, M.D., F. R. S. 
Edited by Chas. A. Lee, M.D. 8vo, 322 pp. Cloth, Si. 50. 
The best work on the Chemical Analysis of foods. 

Fruits and Farinacea: 

The proper food of Man. Being an attempt to prove by History, Anatomy, 
Physiology and Chemistry that the Original, Natural and Best Diet of Man 
is derived from the Vegetable Kingdom. By John Smith. With Notes, and 
Illustrated by R. T. Trail, M.D. 12mo, $1.50. 

The Hygeian Home Cook-Book: 

Or, Healthful and Palatable Food without Condiments. 12mo, 72 pp. Cloth, 
50 cents ; paper, 25 cents. 

This is a recipe book founded on Dr. Trail's experience in" preparing foods 
for his health institution without the use of yeast, acids, grease or condiments. 
As such it is of value to those who " eat to live," 

The Hydropathic Cook-Book : 

With recipes for Cooking on Hygienic Principles. This work, in addition 
to the recipes, contains a Philosophical Exposition of the Relations of Food 
to Health ; the Chemical Elements aad Proximate Constitution of Aliment- 
ary Principles ; the Nutritive Properties of all kinds of Aliments ; the 
Relative Value of Vegetable and Animal Substances ; the Selection and 
Preservation of Dietetic Material, etc. Cloth, $1.00; paper, 50 cents. 

The Diet Question: 

Giving the Reason Why. From "Health in the Household, or Hygienic 
Cookery." By Susanna W. Dodds, M.D. 12mo, 100 pp. Paper, 25 cents. 
All who are interested in the reason why for rules of diet, and all who would 

eat for health and strength, should read this valuable treatise. It will help 

you to know how to live. 

The Scientific Basis of Vegetarianism. 

12mo, 36 pp. Paper, 25 cents. 

The best statement of the case ever made, and the reading of it will cer- 
tainly lessen the use of meat. 

How to Feed the Baby, 

To make it Healthy and Happy, with Health Hints. Sixth Edition. Re 
vised. 12mo, 168 pp. Cloth, 75 cents ; paper, 50 cents. 

Vacation Time : 

With Hints on Summer Living. By H. S. Drayton, M.D- 25 cents. 
Contains many timely suggestions as to a proper Summer Diet 

A.ny of the above sent by matt pout-paid on receipt of price 
Address FOWLER & WJSJDJLS CO., 27 East 21 ot St., Nsw York. 





MARRIAGE NOT A FAILURE. 

BY NELSON SIZEB. 

Marriage is a failure only when the per- 
sons are not properly mated, and this is 
likely to be the case only from a want of 
knowledge. In this work Prof. Sizer tells 
who should marry and who should not, Iff 
giving portraits to illustrate the Temper- m 
aments and the whole subject fully. The [ 
right age to marry, the marriage oft> 
cousins, and many other questions of in-fe 
terest are considered. Price, only ten§§| 
cents, by mail, postpaid. 




■^iVJVi.'^iiiV 



ARE THEY WELL MATED ? 





to 




LIKE FATHER OR MOTHER ? 



AND 

HOW TO JUDGE IT. 

BY NELSON SIZER. 

This work gives practical instruft- 
tions for judging inherited resem- 
blances. By its aid students may 
learn to tell at a glance which parent 
a person resembles and correctly 
infer much concerning the charac- 
ter. The work is illustrated by forty- 
seven cuts, and is sent bymail, post- 
paid, on receipt of price, only ten 
cents. 








BY ONE WHO HAS DONE BOTH. 

Under the titles " Finding a Mate " and " Keeping a Mate " the author gives points of 
interest to both married and unmarried. Those who wish to be loved and those who wish 
some one to love, will find numerous suggestions of value in its pages and illustrations, 
By mail, postpaid, only ten cents. 

Fowler & Wells Co, Publishers. 27 East 21sfc St„Sfcw York 



T he Phrenological Journal 

and Science of Health 

Has been published for over half a century. It has always been in advance of the 
times in everything pertaining to the study of Human Nature, as well as all questions 
of health and hygiene. It is steadily gaining in public favor, and we are confident that 
the coming year will mark an important epoch in its history. To secure this result we 
are determined to spare neither trouble or expense. 

AMONG THE MOST PROMINENT AND 

ATTRACTIVE FEATURES FOR 1896 

WILL BE 

CHARACTE R STUDIES OF FAMOUS MEN AND WOMEN 

From personal examinations by the editor. These phrenographs 
are always interesting, and are widely copied and quoted by other 
magazines and the daily press. 

THE CHILD CULTURE DEPARTMENT 

Will tell mothers and teachers how to study the capabilities of each- 
particular child as a guide to its proper development. 

THE SCIENCE OF HEALTH DEPARTHENT 

Will contain, as heretofore, practical articles and valuable hints on 
health and the hygienic methods of securing it. 

SHORT, SPICY, USEFUL CONTRIBUTIONS 

By the best writers, on Character Reading and Character 
Building, Choice of Pursuits, Proper Selection in 
Wedlock, Relations of Employers and Employed, etc., 
etc., etc. 

In short, the Phrenological Journal is a MAGAZINE FOR THE HOME. It 
always appeals to every member of the family, and it INSTRUCTS as well as 
ENTERTAINS. 

The Phrenological Journal is published monthly at $i oo a year, or ioc. a number. 

FOWLER & WELLS CO. 

27 East 21st Street . . . New York 















\» T- 
























4 

* 9 . 
























-A, 






' 


















ft 






X *3f. 






V^ ^ 



^ 



V 












<>■ 





















6 ^ 















.'• <p 
























•^ 



■P 



. 









* * 



& ^ 






X ^. 












! 












<~£- 









•V 






i 












c*- ' 









» 












</> 






a I 




,0 c 











*p 



^ 






[■VV; 



vA> </> 







* 8 I 1 * 



'"o 



\* 






%, 



<* 



: 

: 









v 



£ 










\ 






c. >>. 



«\V «/» 






HUH 



flil 







